Researchers have found that under certain conditions, a laser beam can act like an opaque object and cast a shadow, opening new possibilities for technologies that could use a laser beam to control another laser beam.
Can light itself cast a shadow? It may sound like a philosophical riddle, but researchers have found that under certain conditions, a laser beam can act like an opaque object and cast a shadow. The discovery challenges the traditional understanding of shadows and opens new possibilities for technologies that could use a laser beam to control another laser beam.
"What started as a funny discussion over lunch led to a conversation on the physics of lasers and the nonlinear optical response of materials," said Abrahao."From there, we decided to conduct an experiment to demonstrate the shadow of a laser beam." The laser shadow effect is a consequence of optical nonlinear absorption in the ruby. The effect occurs because the green laser increases the optical absorption of the blue illuminating laser beam, creating a matching region in the illuminating light with lower optical intensity. The result is a darker area that appears as a shadow of the green laser beam.
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