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Lasers

Lasers

Frequency comb identifies molecules every 20 nanoseconds

18 Dec 2023 Isabelle Dumé
Rainbow-coloured data plot showing the absorbance of light (vertical) over time (horizontal left to right) across a range of frequencies (horizontal forward to back)
A new frequency comb setup can capture the moment-by-moment details of carbon dioxide gas escaping from a nozzle at supersonic speeds in an air-filled chamber, followed by rapid oscillations of gas due to complex aerodynamics within the chamber. The data plot shows the absorbance of light (vertical) over time (horizontal left to right) across a range of frequencies (horizontal forward to back). Courtesy: G. Mathews/University of Colorado Boulder
Frequency combs – specialized lasers that act like a measuring stick for light – are commonly us

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