Solution to the energy problem: A way to strengthen lasers a million times has been found

Scientists from the UK and South Korea have discovered a way to create laser pulses 1,000 times more powerful than currently possible. This new technique could open the door to important discoveries about the nature of matter. Because scientists think that thanks to the new technique, the power of scientific lasers could eventually be increased by a million times or perhaps more.

Lasers 1 million times more powerful are possible

Researchers actually propose a simple idea; They propose to use the gradient in the density of the plasma, which is completely ionized matter, to cause the photons to come together. This is like a group of cars coming together when they encounter a steep hill. If successful, this technique could increase the power of lasers by a million times more than currently achieved.

The peak power of the most powerful lasers in the world is around ten petawatts. A new 20 petawatt laser called “Vulcan 20-20” is currently under construction at STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. In order to put these numbers together; The Earth’s upper atmosphere receives 173 petawatts (173 x 10^15 W) of sunlight and transmits one-third of it to the surface. One petawatt is equivalent to 10^15 watts, one exawatt is equivalent to 10^18 watts, and one zettawatt is equivalent to 10^21 watts. In this context, the Sun produces 4 x 10^26 watts of power, which corresponds to 400,000 zettawatts.

Can solve the energy problem

The new laser amplification technique could help physicists explore some fundamental areas of interest, from the so-called “density limit” to being able to extract particles from vacuum. The research has applications in astrophysics by simulating stellar events and addressing energy issues through laser fusion research. It can also help us understand the Schwinger limit. The Schwinger limit refers to a theoretical point at which light can be converted into matter.

The results of this research are expected to be applicable in various fields, including advanced theoretical physics and astrophysics. It can also be used in laser fusion research to help solve the energy problem, which is the fundamental problem of all humanity. Korea and the United Kingdom plan to test these ideas experimentally in the laboratory.