Shooting Laser with 'Bultumyeong' Light Trap

Implementation of Non-Resonant Lasers Using New Devices and Materials
Development of Lasers with Various Wavelengths and Optical Properties
Expected Applications in Medical, Life Sciences, Industrial Technology, and Defense Fields

Laser cavity in the form of a light trap implemented in the experiment

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] A technology to create lasers using various forms of materials such as powder, film, and ceramics has been developed.

Typically, lasers amplify light through transparent material structures like crystals, but this research found a way to generate lasers even without transparency. Utilizing this method enables the development of lasers across various wavelengths, including ultraviolet and terahertz regions, which is expected to be applicable in diverse fields such as medical care, life sciences, industrial technology, and defense.

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on the 12th that a research team including Professors Yonggeun Park and Sangmin Lee from the Department of Physics, and Professor Dokyung Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, developed a new non-resonant laser fabrication technology, with their research published in the international journal Nature Communications.

Laser Generation Using Opaque Materials

Idea Schematic Diagram

Generally, lasers are composed by placing laser materials (gain media) that amplify light inside a resonator that traps light using mirrors or similar components. However, to generate a laser, the light path inside the resonator must be maintained consistently. Therefore, very transparent crystal-structured gain materials have been used.

The research team conceived the idea of blocking all sides of the resonator with scatterers to implement lasers using materials that cannot be made into crystal structures. They utilized a hollow space shaped like a 'light trap' with all sides blocked by scatterers and a narrow entrance, similar to the structure of a fish trap, as the resonator. Inside the scatterer made of opaque gain material, they carved out a small space to create the laser resonant cavity. Light was amplified each time it reflected off the walls of this spherical space, thereby generating the laser. The resulting laser oscillated in a non-resonant form, unlike conventional resonant-based lasers, due to the random light paths formed within the three-dimensional cavity.

Potential Applications in Medical, Industrial, and Defense Fields

Dr. Lee Kyure (from the left), Professor Kim Dokyung, Professor Lee Sangmin, Professor Park Yonggeun

Dr. Gyore Lee, co-first author and corresponding author from KAIST’s Department of Physics, stated, "The implemented laser is a non-resonant laser that simultaneously offers high energy efficiency and directionality. Additionally, if efficient lasers can be produced without the demanding crystallization process of materials, the range of materials usable as gain media will significantly expand." He added, "This technology enables laser oscillation from new materials that were previously unusable for lasers, allowing the development of new laser devices with various wavelengths and optical properties. Its applications are expected to extend to multiple fields including medical care, life sciences, industrial technology, and defense."

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