What is the most powerful kind of laser? (and other laser questions)?

Question

Does it give off excessive amounts of radiation? (would you need some sort of protection) How does it work? (basic explanation)

Answer 1

The largest and most powerful laser in the world is the NOVA laser. It is located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. The NOVA laser is about as long as a football field and is three stories high. The power of the NOVA laser is approximately 1.0 × 1014 watts (100 terawatts).

Lasers are devices which produce radiation with unique properties. It is these properties that distinguish laser radiation from the radiation produced by more familiar sources such as the sun or the common household electric light bulb. When considering the safety implications of the laser beam an important parameter is the amount of power in the beam divided by the cross-sectional area of the beam. This is called the irradiance and is usually quoted in watts per square metre or W m-2. So, yes, a laser can give off a lot of radiation.

Generally speaking lasers can be contained so they do not harm humans, and safety goggles are not even required.

Laser stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The word is commonly applied to a device that produces a beam of radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum. A laser can be described as a variation on the fluorescent light tube by imagining a sealed tube, containing a gas or mixture of gases excited by some form of energy.

Instead of gas, some lasers incorporate a solid material such as ruby, a liquid dye or chemicals. Different substances will produce beams of different wavelengths and colours. Lasers can vary considerably in size from devices that occupy a number of rooms to a tiny semiconductor chip.

Answer 2

obviously, mild is radiation, so sure they offer off radiation. surely the intensity of a coherent gaussian beam from a laser might want to be many, many situations the intensity of image voltaic. usually lasers are categorised by technique of their capacity, business lasers used for reducing being the most efficient i'm attentive to. Eye protection is needed, (for seen mild lasers besides, there are infrared and ultraviolet lasers or perhaps x-ray lasers) because the beam is amazingly severe, and your eyes will enhance that intensity. searching right into a beam can completely blind you. as far as how they artwork, there quite isn't any straight forward rationalization, yet i will attempt. the most important's a ingredient is a resonating hollow area (an undemanding one is two conductors (mirrors) positioned a particular distance aside to produce a standing wave contained in the hollow area -subsequently it really is a resonator). interior this hollow area, there is a few type of income medium, that can be a crystal, gas or semiconductor. The income is from inspired emission of radiation , which skill exited atoms are inspired by technique of the radiation resonating contained in the hollow area and emit an same (coherent) radiation. considering that as this generated radiation is coherent (which skill it has about an same section, frequency, and polarity) all of it remains in a neat little beam. quite cool stuff, i imagine.

Answer 3

check out wickedlasers.com. I THINK. Or do a search for wicked lasers