Physicists from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland have figured out how to reflect and control super-powerful laser beams.
Layered plasma mirrors proposed anddemonstrated by scientists are formed using oncoming laser beams. Plasma is the fully ionized gas that makes up most of the visible universe. Counter laser beams create a beat wave in it, which brings electrons and ions into a regular layered structure.
As shown by the experiments described in the journalCommunications Physics, such a structure acts as a very strong, highly reflective mirror. It exists for a few picoseconds, but its ghostly presence allows it to reflect or manipulate very intense laser light.
Powerful lasers are actively used in variousscientific research and industrial production. Their drawback is related to their size: to accommodate modern high-power lasers, buildings comparable in size to an aircraft hangar, or at least the basement of a large university campus, are required. Most of the space is associated with mirrors: the optical components that are used in the amplifier and compressor stages must be large to avoid damage.
Researchers believe that the usealternative "ghost" mirrors will, on the one hand, reduce the size of existing laser installations, and, on the other hand, open the way to the creation of even more powerful lasers with powers from hundreds of petawatts to exowatts (10¹⁷–10¹⁸ W).
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On the cover: laser machine. Photo: University of Strathclyde