It’s not so easy for the rest of us to see, but this humble prototype could result in cheaper and more effective lasers. Credit: Photo: Simone Bianconi, EPFL.

A new type of laser solves several problems associated with current-day laser technology, according to research from Norway.

Laser technology is used in many areas, where precise measurements are required and in communication.

This means that they are important for everything from self-driving cars to the fibre optic internet and for detecting gases in the air.

Now, a research group has come up with a new type of laser that solves several problems associated with current-day lasers.

The group is led by Associate Professor Johann Riemensberger at the Department of Electronic Systems at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Riemensberger said: “Our results can give us a new type of laser that is both fast, relatively cheap, powerful and easy to use.”

The work is a collaboration between NTNU and the Swiss École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Luxtelligence SA.

Self-driving cars and air quality detectors

Conventional precision lasers can be large, expensive, and difficult to adjust, but Riemensberger said: “Our new laser solves several of these problems.”

This means that the laser can be used in self-driving cars, for example. These cars use an optical remote sensing technique called Lidar to detect and judge the distance to objects in their surroundings.

The technique measures time differences or changes in the wave phase between the light emitted from the laser and what is reflected back.

This laser measures with high precision, around four centimetres.

The researchers also got good results when they used the laser to detect hydrogen cyanide gas in the air.

This is a chemical compound that is often called ‘hydrocyanic acid’ and it is highly toxic in small doses, so it can be important to detect it quickly.

Advanced materials, micro-sized light circuits

The researchers created the new laser with advanced materials and microscopic light circuits.

The laser emits a powerful and stable beam of light, one of its advantages is that users can easily adjust the frequency quickly and smoothly, without sudden jumps.

Riemensberger added: “You can also easily control it with just one control instead of many.”

The laser is built using chip technology that is already available, which makes it possible to mass-produce it cheaply.

Riemensberger concluded: “Our findings make it possible to create small, inexpensive and user-friendly measuring instruments and communication tools with high performance.”

A new article about the findings has been published in Nature Photonics.