All Questions
Tagged with electromagnetic-radiation laser
118
questions
11
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Can the laser light, in principle, take any wavelength in the EM spectrum?
Can the laser light, in principle, take any wavelength in the EM spectrum? I don't think there is what prevent this in principle, right?
- 959
0
votes
0
answers
42
views
Spherical laser beam terminology
I am currently seeking the correct terminology for a beam that expands linearly from a fixed point, resulting in its wavefronts forming spherical surfaces. However, the beam does not expand in all ...
- 153
0
votes
2
answers
129
views
Determining Gaussian beam parameters of a laser
The intended output of many lasers in laser scanning is Gaussian. At distance $z$ from the waist, the radius of a Gaussian beam is calculated as
$$w(z) = w_0 \sqrt{1+(z/z_R)^2},$$
where $w_0$ is the ...
- 153
1
vote
1
answer
178
views
Is a neutron deflected sideways by a laser beam?
Is a freely moving neutron deflected sideways when a laser beam is directed at it from the side? It would be great if the question could be considered from the two points of view that the laser beam ...
- 10.6k
0
votes
0
answers
54
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The Stark-Lo Surdo effect
What does the Stark-Lo Surdo effect consist of in the interaction of the electromagnetic field and the active medium in a laser? I thank those who want to give a clear and concise answer.
In my ...
- 121
2
votes
1
answer
680
views
Why can't we use polychromatic light for making laser?
As far as I have read in my textbooks, we can only use monochromatic light for making a laser. Why can't we use polychromatic one? What if we try to make a laser out of a polychromatic light?
156
votes
1
answer
15k
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What is an "attosecond pulse", and what can you use it for?
The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics was announced today, and it was awarded to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier, for
“experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for ...
- 134k
0
votes
1
answer
79
views
How can a laser be narrow?
In my understanding, light works as follows: every point in space where there is light, this light works as a point source. When we progress in time, the light spreads out from there in all directions ...
- 1,440
12
votes
2
answers
2k
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On the (non)linearity of electromagnetism
As a student you are typically told that Maxwell's equations (ME) in vacuum are linear. However, it seems that for extremely high electromagnetic fields the equations for electromagnetism turn out to ...
- 1,201
2
votes
3
answers
262
views
Coherent unpolarized laser light
I notice that in semiclassical treatments of laser light absorption by particles, they treat the laser beam as a coherent oscillating electric field over the form $E_0\cos(kx-\omega t)$, sometimes ...
- 366
2
votes
1
answer
424
views
Laser induced explosion (detonation)
I have a question involving quite the wacky (and silly) hypothetical. It's a part of an ongoing argument I'd like to settle. Of course, I have no background in physics which is why I came here, so I ...
- 21
1
vote
0
answers
56
views
Decoherence of a laser beam via oil emulsion
This is sort of a followup to an earlier question that I posted regarding how to destroy the temporal and/or spatial coherence of a laser beam. It was suggested to me that I could use a rapidly ...
- 366
0
votes
1
answer
101
views
Is there laser operating at megahertz?
I have tried to find a laser with working frequency at megahertz by Google but failed. Is there exist one?
- 1
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is laser light a standing wave?
If I understand it correctly the light waves are standing within the laser cavity as they bounce off the walls. Does that mean they remain standing as they leave the cavity? There is nothing out there ...
- 1,297
2
votes
2
answers
125
views
Is stimulated emission emitted by a rotating classical dipole subject to a resonant oscillating wave beamed?
Consider a dipole, $\pm q$ connected by a rigid rod of length $2L$, spinning around its center in the $x-y$ plane with angular frequency $\omega$, such that the charges follow $\vec{r}_{\pm q}(t) = \...
- 572