As expected, science is innovating, and this time, it’s in the form of a light beam, widely used for optics, ultrasound, radar, and the industrial field. American scientists have developed a technique to concentrate light energy and transmit it in the thinnest way possible, which is why it can be called a light needle or light pulse, as they themselves have named the discovery. Want to know more? Keep reading!

The Light Needle and its uses

Developed at the University of Rochester, USA, by scientists Miguel Alonso and Kevin Parker, the light needle is a new light beam pattern that, unlike most other beams, does not depend on the light wave source. It is manipulated in flight time, which gives this light beam an incomparable intensity, in addition to ensuring greater flexibility for the application of the technique.

Uses of the light pulse

• Sharpness for ultrasound and radar images
• Possibility of creating new properties on material surfaces
• Precise holes in materials manufactured on a nanometric scale

How the light pulse was created

Miguel and Kevin observed that it is possible for a light wave to have an internal collapse in a nanosecond or even less time. The wave then forms an incredibly thin and intense light beam before the light expands. In other words, the energy concentrated in time gives rise to a light pulse.

Light Pulse in Optics

The smaller the light beam, the better the image resolution quality, as it is possible to separate very small things with precision. This pattern can be applied to optics in general, but also to microscopy, radar, and sonar, in addition to the already mentioned ultrasound.

In the industrial field

In the industrial field, the light pulse provides benefits for any form of laser processing. Cuts and welds, for example, will have the highest possible light intensity at a determined and precise point.

That’s all for today! But if you want to know more about physics, chemistry, and news from this field today, just check out the other posts on our blog. We post new content every week to keep you informed about the achievements of scientists around the world who make our experiences even better 😉