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This story is from the category Health
Date posted: 31/12/2008 Princeton scientists have developed a new more energy efficient way to generate laser light. The finding should allow for building of miniature diagnostic devices that monitor light's attenuation in a liquid sample, potentially leading to specialized blood glucose meters and other similar devices. The laser used in the Princeton study is a special type called a quantum cascade laser. Built at Princeton University's nanofabrication facility, the device is about one-tenth as thick as a human hair and 3 millimeters long. Despite its tiny size, it is made of hundreds of layers of different semiconductor materials. Each layer is only a few atoms thick. In this device, electrons "cascade" down through the layers as they lose energy and give off synchronized photons. Unlike other lasers, quantum cascade lasers operate in the mid- and far-infrared range, and can be used to detect even minute traces of water vapor, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, and other gases that absorb infrared light. As a result, these devices are finding applications in air quality monitoring, medical diagnostics, homeland security, and other areas that require extremely sensitive detection of different chemicals. See the full Story via external site: engineering.princeton.edu Most recent stories in this category (Health): 01/05/2013: Microelectronics: Taking the heat off microfluidic chips |
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