Last ,but certainly not least, of the human endeavours in which lasers play an important role is the entire field of scientific research. This encompasses physics, chemistry, biology (with genetic engineering) and various atomic studies, the most prominent of which is perhaps atomic fusion, with the hope it brings to mankind of becoming a new source of energy. In inertial confinement fusion , powerful burst of fusion energy are produced by focusing high powered laser beam on a tiny pellet of fuel (Fig.31).
(M). Scientific research:
Another use of laser radiation is to cool atoms and atomic ions to very low temperatures. The laser light cools small specimens to very low temperatures, in some cases about 1 microkelvin. This cooling results from the mechanical momentum imparted to the atoms when they scatter light; by suitable arrangement of the frequency and position of the laser beam, the atoms can be made to scatter light only when scattering reduces their momentum.
Figure 31: Schematic illustration of the laser fusion process where a spherical pellet of nuclear fuel is irradiated symmetrically with intense laser beam
