Lasers
Lasers are a form of light technology. The word laser stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In basic terms standard laser light is produced via a dual mirror or lens system. Here light bounces back and forth between the two mirrors where it grows in intensity. One of the mirrors here, however, will only reflect back 99% of the light being bounced here at any given time and the remainder ‘escapes’ - this is the laser light that is being produced.
Actual lasers come in all shapes and sizes and can be used for a variety of purposes. Some lasers are used for everyday domestic purposes - CD players and games consoles, for example, may well use a laser to read the discs that they play and many people giving talks will use a simple laser pointer to illustrate their presentations. Lasers are also often widely used in industrial or commercial purposes. So, for example, a large and powerful laser could be used for cutting or etching purposes and many military defence and weapons programmes use laser technology.
There are also various different types of lasers which can be used for various purposes. Common examples here include:
- Chemical lasers - powered by a chemical reaction these lasers have many uses including military related options.
- Diode lasers - these basic lasers are the ones that you will find in your CD player, for example.
- Dye lasers - based on a dye solution these lasers are predominantly used for research purposes.
- Gas lasers - these laser types are often used in industrial or commercial settings.
- Solid state lasers - these lasers are often reserved for large scale needs and are favoured by the military, for example.