New Nano-Laser Created

Many sources are reporting that researchers have created the world's smallest laser since the inception of lasers almost a half-century ago. Dubbed "spasers," as an acronym for "surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation," their incredibly tiny size could become a critical component for future technologies like "nanophotonic" circuitry. "Such circuits will require a laser-light source, but current lasers can't be made small enough to integrate them into electronic chips. Now researchers have overcome this obstacle, harnessing clouds of electrons called 'surface plasmons,' instead of the photons that make up light, to create the tiny spasers."

Wake me when they have something in production.

[BlueKitties]

I see about three revolutionary breakthroughs per day, three of which never go anywhere because of cost or something. This reminds me of those "water on mars," articles -- we've been "getting new compelling evidence for water on mars" for decades. So, really, I've started to lose interest. I'll be excited when it finally goes somewhere. Really, what gets my blood pumping is what I can see coming down the pipe -- 128gb flash drives, C++0xA, etc.

Re:Linux

[lorenlal]

Mods? Troll? Seriously? It went quite well with the parent humor. I do not believe there was trollage intended here, nor did it have the teeth to feed with.

Boo mods.

Note: If the parent post is no longer marked Troll, then I commend the mods for correcting an otherwise totally unfair marking.

Re:Wake me when they have something in production.

[Daniel Dvorkin]

And without the "R," the "D" has nothing to do.

The kind of thing TFA is talking about is a lot more than "just a nice thought." The researchers have done some very difficult, impressive work. Will it ultimately become a usable product? We have no way of knowing. But they've contributed to the sum of human knowledge in a meaningful way. This is pretty much how the relationship between science and technology works.

Re:Wake me when they have something in production.

[Anonymous Coward]

Nicely said, although it's sad that you have to explain that on Slashdot, of all places.

Re:Wake me when they have something in production.

[Daniel Dvorkin]

Thanks. And yeah, I was thinking that when I made the original post.

There does seem to be a contingent on Slashdot that sees science as kind of irrelevant. Scientists are ivory-tower eggheads with their heads in the clouds who waste their time on airy-fairy ideas, engineers are tough gritty workin' men with dirt under their fingernails who really make things happen ... that kind of thing. It's bullshit, of course, but it's very appealing bullshit to people who don't actually know that much about how science or engineering actually works, but think they do.

Re:Wake me when they have something in production.

[Mister Whirly]

And without the "D" producing a product that sells, there is rarely money for "R". Unfortunately it is not the academic minded handing out the research grants, it is the bean counters. (Otherwise all of our world problems would be likely solved by now.) This is pretty much how the relationship between science and reality works.

Re:Wake me when they have something in production.

[Tenebrousedge]

The rest of us see what does not exist, and think, why not?