China Has the World's Most Powerful Sound Laser

Discover Daily by Perplexity

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In this episode of Discover Daily, host Sienna dives into a big development in laser technology from China. Scientists at Hunan Normal University have created the world's most powerful "sound laser," a device that emits focused beams of sound particles (phonons) instead of light. This phonon laser boasts unprecedented power, durability, and unique properties that could revolutionize fields such as medical imaging, deep-sea exploration, and security scanning.
Sienna explores the operational mechanism of this innovative sound laser, which combines optical and mechanical principles to achieve its remarkable performance. By trapping and amplifying sound waves within a reflective cavity using a levitated silica microbead, the device produces a laser-like beam of phonons that is ten times more powerful than previous phonon lasers and can operate continuously for over an hour.The potential applications of this breakthrough are vast, ranging from more precise and less invasive medical diagnostic techniques to enhanced underwater communication and navigation systems. Sienna also discusses the significance of this development coming from China, highlighting the country's growing prowess in advanced scientific research and the importance of international collaboration in driving technological progress forward.

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