New laser created from jellyfish's fluorescent proteins

Discussion in 'General Science & Technology' started by Plazma Inferno!, Aug 22, 2016.

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    Fluorescent proteins from jellyfish that were grown in bacteria have been used to create a laser for the first time, according to a new study.
    The breakthrough represents a major advance in so-called polariton lasers, the researchers said. These lasers have the potential to be far more efficient and compact than conventional ones and could open up research avenues in quantum physics and optical computing, the researchers said.
    Traditional polariton lasers using inorganic semiconductors need to be cooled to incredibly low temperatures. More recent designs based on organic electronics materials, like those used in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, operate at room temperature but need to be powered by picosecond (one-trillionth of a second) pulses of light.
    By repurposing the fluorescent proteins that have revolutionized biomedical imaging, and by allowing scientists to monitor processes inside cells, the team created a polariton laser that operates at room temperature powered by nanosecond pulses — just billionths of a second.

    http://www.livescience.com/55824-laser-powered-by-jellyfish-fluorescent-proteins.html
     

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