My theory of how it operates:
Here are a few links to start this off:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/laser.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation
http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/tutorials/magnetacademy/magnets/page2.html
Background Info:
Atoms have 3 component parts. Electrons, Neutrons, & Protons.
Atoms can be in a "ground state" or "excited state".
Atoms can make a transition to an "excited state" by adding energy to them.
Atoms can make a transition to a "ground state" by removing energy from them.
When an atom moves from an "excited state" to a "ground state" it emits a photon
Electromagnetic Radiation consists of photons which correspond to a specific frequency. (a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is visible light.)
Magnetism:
"A permanent magnet is nothing more than a ferromagnetic object in which all the domains are aligned in the same direction."
"All magnetism comes down to electrons... In the case of permanent magnets, it’s the spinning of the electrons..."
"There are only four elements... that are ferromagnetic at room temperature...iron, nickel, cobalt and gadolinium..."
Basic Laser Construction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_J1tkB0RKE
A gas filled tube full of your "lasing medium".
A "discharge lamp" (aka, your light source).
A couple of mirrors. (one is 100% reflective, the other only 99%).
And of course your power source for your "discharge lamp".
Stan's Laser Construction:
A gas filled tube full of a "lasing medium"
A "discharge lamp"
A "light guide"
And of course, a power source.
Comparison:
A few differences between the two lasers are...
1) Stan's gas is magnetic
2) Stan has coiled his gas tube.
3) Stan has wrapped wire around his coiled gas tube.
My Thoughts and Theory:
Let's take this gas filled tube and lay it out in a straight line for 299,792,458 meters.
If I turn the "discharge lamp" on for a fraction of a second, it will emit a photon.
after one second how far will that one photon travel? 299,792,458 meters. (the speed of light, right?)
Okay, lets assume the gas is in a "ground state" configuration.
When the photon hits the first atom it is absorbed and then re-emitted. (because the atom is not "metastable".)
This means that the electrons around the atom have "jumped up" and "jumped down" very quickly.
I would say at speed of light because the speed with which this transition happens.
Now, what if our gas was magnetic? What effect would that have?
I'm inclined to think... based on what I've just outlined, you'll "move a magnetic field at the speed of light".
If this is possible... can we wrap coils around the tube and produce electricity?
Your Thoughts and Theories:
What are your thoughts? Theories? Questions? Insights? I'd love to hear 'em.
Shoot holes in my theory... that's the only way to see if it survives right? :)
Here are a few links to start this off:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/laser.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation
http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/tutorials/magnetacademy/magnets/page2.html
Background Info:
Atoms have 3 component parts. Electrons, Neutrons, & Protons.
Atoms can be in a "ground state" or "excited state".
Atoms can make a transition to an "excited state" by adding energy to them.
Atoms can make a transition to a "ground state" by removing energy from them.
When an atom moves from an "excited state" to a "ground state" it emits a photon
Electromagnetic Radiation consists of photons which correspond to a specific frequency. (a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is visible light.)
Magnetism:
"A permanent magnet is nothing more than a ferromagnetic object in which all the domains are aligned in the same direction."
"All magnetism comes down to electrons... In the case of permanent magnets, it’s the spinning of the electrons..."
"There are only four elements... that are ferromagnetic at room temperature...iron, nickel, cobalt and gadolinium..."
Basic Laser Construction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_J1tkB0RKE
A gas filled tube full of your "lasing medium".
A "discharge lamp" (aka, your light source).
A couple of mirrors. (one is 100% reflective, the other only 99%).
And of course your power source for your "discharge lamp".
Stan's Laser Construction:
A gas filled tube full of a "lasing medium"
A "discharge lamp"
A "light guide"
And of course, a power source.
Comparison:
A few differences between the two lasers are...
1) Stan's gas is magnetic
2) Stan has coiled his gas tube.
3) Stan has wrapped wire around his coiled gas tube.
My Thoughts and Theory:
Let's take this gas filled tube and lay it out in a straight line for 299,792,458 meters.
If I turn the "discharge lamp" on for a fraction of a second, it will emit a photon.
after one second how far will that one photon travel? 299,792,458 meters. (the speed of light, right?)
Okay, lets assume the gas is in a "ground state" configuration.
When the photon hits the first atom it is absorbed and then re-emitted. (because the atom is not "metastable".)
This means that the electrons around the atom have "jumped up" and "jumped down" very quickly.
I would say at speed of light because the speed with which this transition happens.
Now, what if our gas was magnetic? What effect would that have?
I'm inclined to think... based on what I've just outlined, you'll "move a magnetic field at the speed of light".
If this is possible... can we wrap coils around the tube and produce electricity?
Your Thoughts and Theories:
What are your thoughts? Theories? Questions? Insights? I'd love to hear 'em.
Shoot holes in my theory... that's the only way to see if it survives right? :)