MASER Power Comes out of the Cold: Solid-State MASER

Can Operate at Room Temperature

ScienceDaily (Aug.15, 2012) --- Scientists from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Imperial
College London demonstrate, for the time, a solid-state MASER capable of operating at room
temperature, paving the way for its widespread adoption—as reported in journal Nature.

MASER stands for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Devices based on
this process and known by the same acronym were developed by scientists more than 50 years ago,
before the first LASERs were invented. Instead of creating intense beams of light, as in the case of
LASERs, MASERs deliver a concentrated beam of microwaves.
Conventional MASER technology works by amplifying microwaves using crystals such as ruby -- this
process is known as 'masing'. However, the MASER has had little technological impact compared to
the LASER because getting it to work has always required extreme conditions that are difficult to
produce; either extremely low pressures, supplied by special vacuum chambers and pumps, or freezing
conditions at temperatures close to absolute zero (-273.15 °C), supplied by special refrigerators. To
make matters worse, the application of strong magnetic fields has often also been necessary, requiring
large magnets.
Now, the teams from NPL and Imperial have demonstrated masing in a solid-state device working in
air at room temperature with no applied magnetic field. This breakthrough means that the cost to
manufacture and operate MASERs could be dramatically reduced, which could lead to them becoming
as widely used as LASER technology.
The researchers suggest that room-temperature MASERs could be used to make more sensitive
medical instruments for scanning patients, improved chemical sensors for remotely detecting
explosives; lower-noise read-out mechanisms for quantum computers and better radio telescopes for
potentially detecting life on other planets.
Dr Mark Oxborrow, co-author of the study at NPL, says: "For half a century the MASER has been the
forgotten, inconvenient cousin of the LASER. Our design breakthrough will enable MASERs to be
used by industry and consumers."
Professor Neil Alford, co-author and Head of the Department of Materials at Imperial College London,
adds: "When LASERs were invented no one quite knew exactly how they would be used and yet, the
technology flourished to the point that LASERs have now become ubiquitous in our everyday lives.
We've still got a long way to go before the MASER reaches that level, but our breakthrough does mean
that this technology can literally come out of the cold and start becoming more useful."
Conventional MASER technology works by amplifying microwaves using hard inorganic crystals such
as ruby. However, masing only works when the ruby is kept at a very low temperature. The teams in
this new study have discovered that a completely different type of crystal, namely p-terphenyl doped
with pentacene, can replace ruby and replicate the same masing process at room temperature. As a
curious twist, the pentacene dopant turns the otherwise colourless p-terphenyl crystal an intense
reddish pink -- making it look just like ruby.
The twin challenges the team currently face are getting the MASER to work continuously, as their first
device only works in pulsed mode for fractions of a second at a time. They also aim to get it to operate
over a range of microwave frequencies, instead of its current narrow bandwidth, which would make
the technology more useful.
 In the long term, the teams have a range of other goals including the identification of different
materials that can mase at room temperature while consuming less power than pentacene-doped p-
terphenyl. They will also focus on creating new designs that could make the MASER smaller and more
portable.
The research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and, at NPL,
through the UK's National Measurement Office.
Dr Mark Oxborrow introduces the paper and discusses the maser in a video available on YouTube
at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4EQN6-EXHY

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120815131707.htm

ACTIVIDAD:

RESPONDA LAS SIGUIENTES PREGUNTAS EN ESPAÑOL BASADO EN EL TEXTO

DADO:

1. What does MESER stand for and how does it work?

MESER significa amplificación de microondas por emisión estimulada de radiación y funciona

por la amplificación de microondas utilizado cristales como el rubí.

2. Explain why MESER has had little technological impact compared to the LASER?

MESER ha tenido poco impacto debido a que hacer que funcione requiere de condiciones
extremas que son difíciles de producir como las presiones muy bajas por medio de
cámaras y bombas de vacío especiales, condiciones de congelación a temperaturas
cercanas a cero suministradas por refrigeradores especiales pero sobre todo por la
aplicación de campos magnéticos fuertes, requiriendo así imanes grandes.

3. Name two (2) potential uses for room-temperature MASERS

MASER a temperatura ambiente tiene varios usos algunos de ellos son sensores químicos
mejorados para la detección remota de explosivos y mejores radiotelescopios para
detectar potencialmente la vida en otros planetas.

Parte II

A. Marque con una “X” si los siguientes enunciados son verdaderos o falsos

V F
a. LASERs deliver a concentrated beam of microwaves while MASERs create X
intense beams of light.
 b. Masing in a solid-state working in air at room temperature with no applied X
magnetic field could lead to significant reduced costs in manufacturing and
operating MASERs
c. MASERs have now become ubiquitous in our everyday lives X
d. The research teams are aiming to get the MASER to operate over a range of X
microwave frequencies.

B. Traduzca las ideas conectadas por las siguientes Señales de Transición

a. HOWEVER; Paragraph 7, Line 2 :

__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

C. En los siguientes enunciados indique la función gramatical de las palabras con “ING”

a. Scientists from PNL and Imperial College London Function: operating es

demonstrate, for the first time, a solid-state “MASER” capable of
un verbo en infinitivo
operating at room temperature, paving the way for its después de una
widespread adoption preposición
Function: paving es un
b. Conventional MASER technology works by amplifying Function: amplifying es
microwaves using crystals such as ruby… un sustantivo después
de una preposición.
Function: using es un
verbo en infinitivo
c. The MASER core – a sapphire ring containing a reddish pink Function:
crystal that amplifies microwaves to create a concentrated beam
d. The twin challenges the team currently face are getting the Function: es un presente
MASER to work continuously… progresivo

D. Indique el antecedente de los siguientes Referentes Textuales:

a. Its widespread adoption, lead (entradilla) Line 3

b. This breakthrough, Paragraph 3, Line 2 ____________________________________

c. Them, Paragraph 3, line 4 _______________________________________________

d. They, Paragraph 6, Line 2 _______________________________________________

e. It, Paragraph 7, Line 6 __________________________________________________