Uber-nano nanolasers could lead to faster computers, reliable internet, neverending list of awesome things
By Laura June 
posted August 5th 2009 6:42PM
posted August 5th 2009 6:42PM
Researchers at Arizona State University and Technical University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands have been collaborating on a project to make lasers significantly smaller than the ones that are currently available, by finding a way around the traditionally accepted diffraction limit -- the idea that the size of lasers in any one dimension (say, thickness) is limited to half of the wavelength involved. One way around the size limitation, they've found, is to use a combination of semiconductors and metals like gold and silver, which causes electron excitement which helps confine the light in a laser to smaller spaces than that of the supposed limit. Using this method, the team has created nanoscale lasers that are one quarter of the wavelength or smaller -- as opposed to the previously accepted size limitation of one half of the wavelength. As far as consumer applications go, the smaller the laser, the easier it will be to integrate them into small electronics components, leading to things like faster products and more reliable internet access. Sounds great, right? Well, chill out: they're still working on it, with no word on when we'll see any street application of the nano nanolasers.
[Via Gizmag]
[Via Gizmag]
How awesome are we talking?
VERY awesome. Btw, nice avatar.
By the looks of the guy in the picture, I would venture to say very.
Finally mini-me can get his friggin' mini-sharks with friggin' mini-lasers attached to their heads.
Pew Pew!
mini pew pew pew....
isn't pew pew more of a photon blast thing?
seems like laser would be more of a sustained high-pitched sound.
and even high pitchededer in mini form.
@cwj
pulsed directed energy weapon aka pulsed laser
i have little sharks in my fish tank and one hell of a good idea.
nano stuff can be cool, but I'll take my lasers in macro form please. the more macro the more better. :)
Fricken huge lasers FTW!
Hopefully the nano lasers will all be able to combine like voltron and make a Macro Laser for you.
Mork predicted this years ago...'Nano Nano"
Like... from Mork and Mindy?
Charles, from Charles in Charge
wavelength (h) = planks constant / mass * speed of light
Lasers make everything better.
So does the infamous Kirk Cameron banana! nice, dude!
..reliable internet..." not if AT&T has there say
I lol'ed at this because my AT&T internet connection has been off most of the time for the past few days. Thanks for making such a crappy situation a little bit funny.
May we expect nanosharks with nanolasers?
Plancks, not constant under certain circumstances, constant.
I'd sure like to see that never-ending list of awesome things
I smell an Apple lawsuit.
Can't wait till apple starts to get held accountable for all the same monopoly crap Microsoft is getting sued for. The CLOUD is finally coming together. Look out bitches!
can these lasers be mounted on sharks?
nano sharks... yeah
I'm all for never-ending lists of awesome things.
nano nano
-mork
Laser printers?
see, smaller is better
thats something She wont say
Good 'cause Gigabit Lan's 125 mB/s sucks. Figures it has to be made of gold...jeez
Reliable internet is a myth!
Myth or Fable?
Perhaps even a nursery rhyme you tell to new born IT wannabes so they can have their fantasies smashed, become jaded, dispossessed and then become suitable for posting in blog comment streams
Reliable internet? I've begun to think that impossible. It must be.
I dont get it, how does half size lasers make internet more reliable.
Size matters