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Single-atom Laser Built at Caltech

Posted by Hemos on from the one-atom-long dept.

hweimer writes "A research group at Caltech has successfully constructed a laser consisting of only one caesium atom. The emitted light is very weak but highly ordered, so such a device may be used to control a quantum computer. More on this can be found at PhysicsWeb."

12 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Begging the question: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    How big are the sharks?

  2. Wow by CaptBubba · · Score: 5, Funny
    This is simply amazing. I'm trying to picture all the machinery and people that went into getting that one atom to light up.

    And now the physicists hand the engineers the huge task: "Ok, we got it to work, you get it to do something usefull"

  3. Not big enough. by caluml · · Score: 5, Funny

    I want a laser that can burn a 200 metre-wide hole through the moon from Earth.
    What's that you say? Why? What do you mean, why?

    --
    Get your own free personal location tracker
  4. Nope. Sorry. by FreeLinux · · Score: 5, Funny

    But, it may prove useful in surgery on ants and may even be used for tatoo removal on ants. This is especially important for those ants who now regret the indiscretions of their teenage years.

  5. Friggin parameciums by Unknown+Poltroon · · Score: 5, Funny

    with frigin lazers on their heads.

    --
    All Troll + "offtopic" mods are meta moderated as "Unfair", because you abused the system.
  6. Re:Rubbish by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    why does every science experiment have to throw in buzzwords such as "may be use in quantum computers" or "may help a cure for cancer"

    A 12 gauge shotgun could be used in cancer treatments. Of course making sure you only blast out the cancer cells is the really hard part.

    --
    Trolling is a art,
  7. Imagine? by Slicebo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can you imagine what you could make with a Beowulf cluster of these?

    A FLASHLIGHT!

  8. At home with the amoeba by Channard · · Score: 5, Funny
    A 12 gauge shotgun could be used in cancer treatments. Of course making sure you only blast out the cancer cells is the really hard part.

    Well, that's where the nano-rednecks come in.

  9. Re:Wow by EulerX07 · · Score: 5, Funny

    SCIENTIST : With this you could create a Quantum computer.

    ENGINEER : Uhhm, it's not that simple...

    SLASHDOTTER : Yes it is! Keep up please!

  10. Thanks a lot by arnie_apesacrappin · · Score: 5, Funny
    QM just took an interesting step forward.

    Now that you've told us where QM is, we'll never know how fast it's progressing.

    --

    Still, with a plan, you only get the best you can imagine. I'd always hoped for something better than that. -CP

  11. Re:Wow by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Quantum computers, sure. I bet they'll even run Duke Nuk'Em Forever lan parties over IPv6.

    They might, they might not...

  12. Nightmare finding the replacement parts ... by Spectre · · Score: 5, Funny
    Given the state of my desk, I'll never be able to find the hot-swap spare atom ...

    --
    "Flame away, I wear asbestos underwear"