Laser Cousin, Maser, to Become More Useful

MASER Power Comes out of the Cold: Solid-State MASER Can Operate at Room Temperature

ScienceDaily (Aug. 15, 2012) — Scientists from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Imperial College London demonstrate, for the first time, a solid-state 'MASER' capable of operating at room temperature, paving the way for its widespread adoption -- as reported in the journal Nature.

The MASER core -- a sapphire ring containing a reddish pink crystal that amplifies microwaves to create a concentrated beam. (Credit: Image courtesy of National Physical Laboratory)

---

MASER stands for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Devices based on this process and known by the same acronym were developed by scientists more than 50 years ago, before the first LASERs were invented. Instead of creating intense beams of light, as in the case of LASERs, MASERs deliver a concentrated beam of microwaves.
Conventional MASER technology works by amplifying microwaves using crystals such as ruby -- this process is known as 'masing'. However, the MASER has had little technological impact compared to the LASER because getting it to work has always required extreme conditions that are difficult to produce; either extremely low pressures, supplied by special vacuum chambers and pumps, or freezing conditions at temperatures close to absolute zero (-273.15 °C), supplied by special refrigerators. To make matters worse, the application of strong magnetic fields has often also been necessary, requiring large magnets.
Now, the team from NPL and Imperial have demonstrated masing in a solid-state device working in air at room temperature with no applied magnetic field. This breakthrough means that the cost to manufacture and operate MASERs could be dramatically reduced, which could lead to them becoming as widely used as LASER technology.
The researchers suggest that room-temperature MASERs could be used to make more sensitive medical instruments for scanning patients, improved chemical sensors for remotely detecting explosives; lower-noise read-out mechanisms for quantum computers and better radio telescopes for potentially detecting life on other planets.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120815131707.htm

MORE ABOUT MASERS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maser

Sources: National Physical Laboratory, Journal Nature, ScienceDaily.com .

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >