|
|
|
|
|
Raman LaserThe Raman laser is a byproduct of the Raman Effect, discovered in 1928 by Nobel laureate Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. It works as follows: Light hits a substance, causing the atoms in the substance to vibrate sympathetically. The collision of photons with the substance causes some of the photons to gain or lose energy, resulting in a secondary light of a different wavelength. A Raman laser essentially involves taking this secondary light and then amplifying it by reflecting it and pumping energy into the system to emit a coherent laser beam. In February, 2005, researchers at Intel discovered a method to integrate Raman lasers directly onto silicon chips. It is expected that this breakthrough will greatly reduce the cost of optical computing and communications devices by 2010. Because of its crystalline structure, silicon atoms readily vibrate when hit with light. The Raman Effect, in fact, is 10,000 times stronger in silicon than standard glass.
|
 |
|
| Copyright 2005-2009 OnPedia.com. All Rights Reserved |
|
|