Concentrated sound
June 29th, 2009 by rbanks
Sound laser could be the key to manipulating nanoparticles
“A team of researchers has managed to build the first “saser” or sound laser, a device capable of generating a highly concentrated beam of sound waves at terahertz frequency that, while built out of simple scientific curiosity, could have important repercussions on nanoscale microchips’ performance. Lasers, or “Light Amplifiers by Stimulated Emission of Radiation,” were first introduced fifty years ago and have since revolutionized the field of optics with applications spanning from CD-ROMs to surgical treatments. The sound laser builds on the same principle using sound waves, generating a highly concentrated beam of phonons instead of photons.” 
Gizmag
