A standard laser pen, for example, has a circular beam about 1mm accross. What's the smallest diameter beam that's ever been created? And can we get any smaller?
I'm not thinking of any particular wavelength of light - it doesn't have to be a visible beam of light.
2007-12-27 22:02:51 · 10 answers · asked by Mark R 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Some measurements would be helpful - just giving the name isn't that useful, I'd be grateful it you told me how thick what you're thinking of is!
2007-12-27 23:26:28 · update #1
It is wavelength dependant. In the case of light rays it would be one photon wide and can be achieved by pushing up the gain of an optical microscope to the limit of resolution (about X4000) after which you start seeing the gaps between the photon streams.(0.70 - 0.40 microns)
In X-ray lithography (used for making chips) they can achieve a beam resolution of one nanometer. Gamma ray streams of even higher resolution can be obtained in nuclear accelerators (3x10 minus 6µ or even finer)
2007-12-28 00:48:18 · answer #1 · answered by crazeygrazey 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer is cosmic radiations. The radiations are so thinner than even gamma rays.
Its created by supermagnetic field interaction.
The magnetic field intensify leading to the formation of ultra-high energy and vey thin wave called a cosmic wave.
This has created by men in an russian lab.
These cosmic rays are often emitted by sun.
But these filtered by the ozone layer.
Almost all the particles of cosmic rays are proton(90%)
Other than this there is 9% alpha paritcles and 1% electrons.
How the ozone layer filters the cosmic rays??(needs knowledge of quantum chromodynamics)
The cosmic rays interact with ozone and the meseons in it become muons.
Regards Harish
2007-12-27 22:47:23 · answer #2 · answered by Harish 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That would probably be our photon pulser reversatron beam. Able to sluce up atoms beneath the earth's surface, and COULD be utilised to drill to the earth's core. Interference from atmospheric particles and magnetic fileds isa problem when detailing the beam from space.
Size is not really an issue here, aas it is more to do with frequency of energy. Our engineer could answer better, but is not allowed.
2007-12-27 22:27:17 · answer #3 · answered by bottle babe 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He-Ne lasers used in the school setting can have beam divergences as low as .63 milliradians and as high
as 1.7 milliradians.
The laser beam has a Gaussian cross section and diverges and get bigger with distance.
Good Luck.
2007-12-28 00:49:02 · answer #4 · answered by Shary 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
circuit boards are cut using lasers. the grooves needed are too small to be cut with any tool. a laser beam is shrunk to a tiny size and magnified to cut the plastic. i dont know if its the smallest beam of light but its gotta be pretty close.
2007-12-27 22:07:34 · answer #5 · answered by Chewyconor 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I know that the laser used to treat my eyes was micrometres in diameter, that's very fine.
2007-12-27 22:08:31 · answer #6 · answered by Gavin T 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
laser beam
2007-12-27 22:13:13 · answer #7 · answered by lostship 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I'd say half an atom thick.
2007-12-27 22:06:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i think laser beam is only the thinnest
2007-12-27 22:06:22 · answer #9 · answered by *♥SwEeTy♥* 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
infra red i would say.
2007-12-27 22:07:27 · answer #10 · answered by Chris K 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋