When most people think of lasers, images of villains in science fiction movies who are bent on world destruction often come to mind. And while the armed forces certainly employ laser weapons in their defense systems, this relatively new technology has a number of applications that are often used in average daily life. In fact, the smallest beam in a grocery store barcode scanner operates under the same principal as the largest laser weapon system.
Yes, the laser has come a long way since Albert Einstein first came up with the idea for a stimulated light emission. And the number of applications lasers can be used in is ever growing. Here are just a few of these applications across a wide spectrum that informs our daily existence.
Biomedical
Lasers are used in everything from modern dentistry to eye and heart surgery. Dentists use lasers for a number of purposes, from reshaping gums and removing bacteria to activating teeth-whitening solutions. Surgeons use lasers to reshape the cornea of the eyeball, a procedure commonly known as LASIK. As for heart surgery, “cold beam” lasers are now being used in minimally invasive surgery in order to create open channels in the heart.
Chemistry
Lasers play a crucial role in the life sciences, particularly chemistry, as they help scientists to identify the building blocks of our universe. For example, modern spectroscopy relies on lasers to determine what an object or entity is made of. More specifically, resonance Raman spectroscopy uses ion lasers to investigate the molecular structure and kinetics of a particular sample.
Entertainment
Events big and small often utilize lasers as part of presentation or light show. And despite the fearsome reputation of lasers, they are ideal for this purpose. Most display lasers draw little power and can be modulated by a single person. Show designers have an extensive palette of colors from which to choose, and the wavelength scalability ensures color balance.
Solar technology
Harnessing the suns energy via panels may seem like a straightforward and simple concept, but the makeup of the actual solar cell is technologically advanced and complex. In the manufacturing process of solar panels, coherent lasers ensure efficiency in the individual cells and reduce micro-cracking as well.
Military and defense
Lasers are used for a number of avionics purposes, most famously in tactical weapons systems and smart munitions. They can also be found in flight-qualified hardware. One of the most famous military applications for lasers is LIDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging). This involves the use of laser pulses to find the range and/or other data of a particular target. Operating under the same principal as RADAR, a LIDAR instrument transmits light to a target and “paints” it. The light is then bounced back to the instrument and is ready for analysis.
These are some of the main areas in which lasers are utilized. But they can also be found in everything from materials processing to fusion, which means that, in one form or another, lasers inform our daily lives to some degree. And despite the original technology being of the 1950s variety, it’s safe to say lasers will find a number of other applications as the world continues to advance around us.
About The Author:
Emily Simmons is a professional blogger that shares his advice on laser cutting techniques and machines. He writes for Trotec Laser, where you can purchase the best laser cutters and engraving machines.
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