Figure 32Artist’s rendering of sun-pumped laser as it would operate in space. The sun’s rays are collected by a parabolic reflector and are focused on the laser’s surface by two cylindrical mirrors.
Figure 32Artist’s rendering of sun-pumped laser as it would operate in space. The sun’s rays are collected by a parabolic reflector and are focused on the laser’s surface by two cylindrical mirrors.
Atomic energy, only a scientific dream a few short years ago, is now providing needed power in many parts of the world. In the same way, the laser, also an atomic phenomenon, has made its way out of the laboratory and into the fields of medicine, commerce, and industry. If it hasn’t touched your life as yet, you need only be patient. It will.
Indeed the most exciting probability of all is that lasers undoubtedly will change our lives in ways we cannot even conceive of now.
Figure 33Tiny hole drilled in paper clip demonstrates remarkable capability of laser beam. Paper clip is 1¼ inches long. Hole (top) was drilled by the laser microwelder shown inFigure 1.
Figure 33Tiny hole drilled in paper clip demonstrates remarkable capability of laser beam. Paper clip is 1¼ inches long. Hole (top) was drilled by the laser microwelder shown inFigure 1.
Argon laser, which emits high-power blue-green beam continuously, has application in signal processing, communications, and spectroscopy. This unit is being beamed through prisms that separate its several discrete wavelengths of light, displayed on card at left foreground.
Argon laser, which emits high-power blue-green beam continuously, has application in signal processing, communications, and spectroscopy. This unit is being beamed through prisms that separate its several discrete wavelengths of light, displayed on card at left foreground.
[1]Sometimes referred to ashertz(abbreviated Hz), for the 19th Century German physicist Heinrich Hertz; 1000 Hz = 1000 cps.[2]Devised in France and officially adopted there in 1799, the metric system uses the meter as the basic unit of length and has been proposed for all measurements in this country.[3]Named for the Swedish physicist Anders J. Angstrom.[4]The wavelength, indicated by the Greek letter λ (lambda) is related to frequency (f) in the proportion λ (in meters) = 300,000,000/f. (The number 300,000,000 is the velocity of light in meters per second.)[5]Microwaves are radio waves with frequencies above 1000 megacycles per second.[6]Ten to 30,000,000 kilocycles per second; this is low in the electromagnetic spectrum, but not low in terms of the radio spectrum, which has a low-frequency classification of its own.[7]Primitive as early radios were by today’s standards, they brought a new era to communication at the time. Unmodulated CW (continuous wave) transmissions and crystal receivers were used to summon rescuers in theTitanicdisaster of 1912, for example.[8]Energy = h (Planck’s constant) × frequency. Planck’s constant is the energy of 1 quantum of radiation, and equals 6.62556 × 10⁻²⁷ erg-sec.[9]Each photon carries 1quantumof radiation energy, which is a unit equal to the product of the radiation frequency and Planck’s constant (see footnotepage 15).[10]Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1921 for his 1905 explanation of the photoelectric effect (in terms of quanta of energy) andnotfor his relativity theory.[11]Einstein’s theoretical explanation applies in the case of stimulation of a single atom. In practical stimulation, directionality is enhanced by stimulating many atoms in phase.[12]An atomic clock is a device that uses the extremely fast vibrations of molecules or atomic nuclei to measure time. These vibrations remain constant with time, consequently short intervals can be measured with much higher precision than by mechanical or electrical clocks.[13]The 1966 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Prof. Alfred Kastler of the University of Paris for his research on optical pumping and studies on the energy levels of atoms.[14]SeeAccelerators, a companion booklet in this series, for a full account of the Stanford “Atom Smasher”.[15]For descriptions of fission and fusion processes, seeControlled Nuclear Fusion,Nuclear Reactors, andNuclear Power Plants, other booklets in this series.[16]A bit is a digit, or unit of information, in the binary (base-of-two) system used in electronic data transmission systems.[17]SeeSNAP,Nuclear Space ReactorsandPower from Radioisotopes, other booklets in this series, for descriptions of nuclear sources of power for space.
[1]Sometimes referred to ashertz(abbreviated Hz), for the 19th Century German physicist Heinrich Hertz; 1000 Hz = 1000 cps.
[2]Devised in France and officially adopted there in 1799, the metric system uses the meter as the basic unit of length and has been proposed for all measurements in this country.
[3]Named for the Swedish physicist Anders J. Angstrom.
[4]The wavelength, indicated by the Greek letter λ (lambda) is related to frequency (f) in the proportion λ (in meters) = 300,000,000/f. (The number 300,000,000 is the velocity of light in meters per second.)
[5]Microwaves are radio waves with frequencies above 1000 megacycles per second.
[6]Ten to 30,000,000 kilocycles per second; this is low in the electromagnetic spectrum, but not low in terms of the radio spectrum, which has a low-frequency classification of its own.
[7]Primitive as early radios were by today’s standards, they brought a new era to communication at the time. Unmodulated CW (continuous wave) transmissions and crystal receivers were used to summon rescuers in theTitanicdisaster of 1912, for example.
[8]Energy = h (Planck’s constant) × frequency. Planck’s constant is the energy of 1 quantum of radiation, and equals 6.62556 × 10⁻²⁷ erg-sec.
[9]Each photon carries 1quantumof radiation energy, which is a unit equal to the product of the radiation frequency and Planck’s constant (see footnotepage 15).
[10]Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1921 for his 1905 explanation of the photoelectric effect (in terms of quanta of energy) andnotfor his relativity theory.
[11]Einstein’s theoretical explanation applies in the case of stimulation of a single atom. In practical stimulation, directionality is enhanced by stimulating many atoms in phase.
[12]An atomic clock is a device that uses the extremely fast vibrations of molecules or atomic nuclei to measure time. These vibrations remain constant with time, consequently short intervals can be measured with much higher precision than by mechanical or electrical clocks.
[13]The 1966 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Prof. Alfred Kastler of the University of Paris for his research on optical pumping and studies on the energy levels of atoms.
[14]SeeAccelerators, a companion booklet in this series, for a full account of the Stanford “Atom Smasher”.
[15]For descriptions of fission and fusion processes, seeControlled Nuclear Fusion,Nuclear Reactors, andNuclear Power Plants, other booklets in this series.
[16]A bit is a digit, or unit of information, in the binary (base-of-two) system used in electronic data transmission systems.
[17]SeeSNAP,Nuclear Space ReactorsandPower from Radioisotopes, other booklets in this series, for descriptions of nuclear sources of power for space.
This booklet is one of the “Understanding the Atom” Series. Comments are invited on this booklet and others in the series; please send them to the Division of Technical Information, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D. C. 20545.
Published as part of the AEC’s educational assistance program, the series includes these titles:
AcceleratorsAnimals in Atomic ResearchAtomic FuelAtomic Power SafetyAtoms at the Science FairAtoms in AgricultureAtoms, Nature, and ManBooks on Atomic Energy for Adults and ChildrenCareers in Atomic EnergyComputersControlled Nuclear FusionCryogenics, The Uncommon ColdDirect Conversion of EnergyFallout From Nuclear TestsFood Preservation by IrradiationGenetic Effects of RadiationIndex to the UAS SeriesLasersMicrostructure of MatterNeutron Activation AnalysisNondestructive TestingNuclear ClocksNuclear Energy for DesaltingNuclear Power and Merchant ShippingNuclear Power PlantsNuclear Propulsion for SpaceNuclear ReactorsNuclear Terms, A Brief GlossaryOur Atomic WorldPlowsharePlutoniumPower from RadioisotopesPower Reactors in Small PackagesRadioactive WastesRadioisotopes and Life ProcessesRadioisotopes in IndustryRadioisotopes in MedicineRare EarthsResearch ReactorsSNAP, Nuclear Space ReactorsSources of Nuclear FuelSpace RadiationSpectroscopySynthetic Transuranium ElementsThe Atom and the OceanThe Chemistry of the Noble GasesThe Elusive NeutrinoThe First ReactorThe Natural Radiation EnvironmentWhole Body CountersYour Body and Radiation
Accelerators
Animals in Atomic Research
Atomic Fuel
Atomic Power Safety
Atoms at the Science Fair
Atoms in Agriculture
Atoms, Nature, and Man
Books on Atomic Energy for Adults and Children
Careers in Atomic Energy
Computers
Controlled Nuclear Fusion
Cryogenics, The Uncommon Cold
Direct Conversion of Energy
Fallout From Nuclear Tests
Food Preservation by Irradiation
Genetic Effects of Radiation
Index to the UAS Series
Lasers
Microstructure of Matter
Neutron Activation Analysis
Nondestructive Testing
Nuclear Clocks
Nuclear Energy for Desalting
Nuclear Power and Merchant Shipping
Nuclear Power Plants
Nuclear Propulsion for Space
Nuclear Reactors
Nuclear Terms, A Brief Glossary
Our Atomic World
Plowshare
Plutonium
Power from Radioisotopes
Power Reactors in Small Packages
Radioactive Wastes
Radioisotopes and Life Processes
Radioisotopes in Industry
Radioisotopes in Medicine
Rare Earths
Research Reactors
SNAP, Nuclear Space Reactors
Sources of Nuclear Fuel
Space Radiation
Spectroscopy
Synthetic Transuranium Elements
The Atom and the Ocean
The Chemistry of the Noble Gases
The Elusive Neutrino
The First Reactor
The Natural Radiation Environment
Whole Body Counters
Your Body and Radiation
A single copy of any one booklet, or of no more than three different booklets, may be obtained free by writing to:
USAEC, P. O. BOX 62, OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE37830
Complete sets of the series are available to school and public librarians, and to teachers who can make them available for reference or for use by groups. Requests should be made on school or library letterheads and indicate the proposed use.
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Printed in the United States of AmericaUSAEC Division of Technical Information Extension, Oak Ridge, Tennessee