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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."

3 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. construction by colinleroy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wonder if the term "constructed" is really relevant, considering they used a single atom ;-)

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    blah
  2. Re:"Caesium"? by Hittite+Creosote · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Caesium in the UK, Cesium in the US. Casium in German. Cesium in French. Cesio in Italian and Spanish. Cesio in Portugese.

    Originally, the ae was that single symbol which is now so rarely used that Slashdot won't let me use it. But it was named after the latin word 'caesius', which meant bluish-grey.

  3. Re:2 words: Audio Quality. by TeknoHog · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The data density of CDs depends on just the wavelength of photons, and not that much on the other properties of the laser. The new laser has interesting implications for novel things like quantum computing, but not for CDs or similar 'classical' technologies.

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    Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.