Colorado electropop sensation 3OH!3 has been touring the nation, spreading their catchy beats and controversial lyrics to an ever-increasing fan base. Accompanying them on their trips is a pair of laser-eyed wolves that join the band on stage to surprise the audience with a laser light show during concert performances. No doubt, a bit of taxidermy art was necessary to provide the two band members with the wolves, and the relatively recent development of compact lasers would give the pets laser-vision.
Lasers have come a long way since the first ruby laser invented in 1960. Now, lasers can be produced at nanoscale sizes and with a variable color. Giving rise to such tiny devices is semiconductor technology. Semiconductor lasers use the special properties of particular materials called semiconductors to allow stimulated emission of radiation (the SER in LASER). Stimulated emission allows light to be reproduced so that light amplification (the LA in LASER) can take place in a resonant cavity (a space where the laser light can bounce back and forth through the semiconductor). Light needs to be amplified so that a super-bright beam of light can be produced. Semiconductors lasers have, until recently, only emitted red light. However, the discovery of Indium Gallium Nitride (InGaN) as a suitable semiconductor for lasers has led to the development of violet lasers, and now true-blue and true-green lasers are emerging (see Dark Horse).
Other tricks have been used to get different colors out of semiconductor lasers, such as frequency doubling of infrared laser light to produce a green laser. This frequency doubling technique utilizes the nonlinear nature of certain crystals (I will go into more depth about this topic) and is used in commercial green laser pointers. Frequency doubling of infrared light to produce a green output is definitely the kind of technique used in 3OH!3’s laser-eyed wolf props. After all, the true-green semiconductor lasers seen in Dark Horse have only just begun to have success. More on semiconductors as told by Britney Spears.
Other tricks have been used to get different colors out of semiconductor lasers, such as frequency doubling of infrared laser light to produce a green laser. This frequency doubling technique utilizes the nonlinear nature of certain crystals (I will go into more depth about this topic) and is used in commercial green laser pointers. Frequency doubling of infrared light to produce a green output is definitely the kind of technique used in 3OH!3’s laser-eyed wolf props. After all, the true-green semiconductor lasers seen in Dark Horse have only just begun to have success. More on semiconductors as told by Britney Spears.
So regardless of the application, of which there are many (see Wikipedia’s laser page), lasers are continually being improved. The variability and compactness of semiconductor lasers have had a big influence on many commercial products that have emerged (laser printers, televisions, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, etc.). Even 3OH!3 has found a use for the technology. Now all they need are sharks with laser beams attached to their heads…
GREAT! Love the connection to the band. But still waaaay to jargon-y in that middle section. Keep working.
ReplyDeleteVery good use of connecting something technical to something fun and interesting. I look forward to continually reading this blog to get the update on laser technology. As Jen said, some technical terms need more explaination. I would like to know more details about certain crystals and what their variations specifically alter in lasers and that laser's uses.
ReplyDeleteDion, I'm sorry about using too much jargon without fully explaining the details. I wanted to communicate the general idea while providing the Wikipedia page for further reading. I know, however, that I have a lot to improve on. Thanks for your feedback. I will definitely touch on the crystals with those special properties, and how they can be used, in later blogs.
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