Definition: A nanolaser is a tiny laser which emits a coherent beam of light through the vibration of a single electron, rather than the traditional (and space-consuming) optical pumping process of a traditional laser. The concept for a nanolaser was developed in 2003 by Mark Stockman at Georgia State University.
How a Nanolaser Works
Stockman's theory was that an electron that vibrated in a regular pattern would emit light that was in phase (or coherent), just as the excited electrons in a traditional laser emit coherent light. A laser can now fit on a computer chip, but these nanolasers could be 1,000 times smaller than that.When Stockman developed his idea in 2003, these vibrating electrons (called nanopendulums or plasmons) had not actually been built yet, so Stockman issued a challenge to the experimentalists to get on it.
In 2009, three different research teams have announced success. It remains to be seen which, if any, of these processes will prove the most effective, but the feat itself is certainly impressive and will promote further research in this area.
Application
The major use of current laser technology is in data transfer, such as with DVD technology or in other computer storage systems, so there's some belief that nanolasers could increase the speed and decrease the size of computers even more.Also Known As: miniature laser, plasmonic laser
