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Muzzamil Shaikh
Sukkur IBA Mir Muhammad Lodhro Electrical (Telecom) Engineering
1/11/2013
Two soviet scientists, Nikolay Basov and Alexander Prokhorov came up with the idea in 1952
In 1953, the first ammonia maser was developed by Townes, Gordon and Zeiger at Columbia University. Norman Ramsey created the first laboratory hydrogen maser in 1960. His design is still being used today Discovery of laser (optical maser) was followed in December of 1958 Natural masers in space have been discovered since 1965
MASERs
Microwave
Amplification by the
Stimulated
Emission of
Radiation
Masers in Space
Microwave
Masers are just like lasers except that the radiation they emit is in the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This light has a longer wavelength and less energy than the visual light emitted by lasers.
Amplified
Radiation from a maser or laser is much more intense than radiation from other light sources. The amplified light from lasers can be strong enough to cut through granite.
The amplified light from Masers can be strong enough to be seen from billions of light years away.
To radio telescopes, masers look like very small, very bright dots. Just as if someone was shining a laser-pointer at you from across the room.
Stimulated Emission
Masers are so powerful because they emit from regions with a population inversion
These regions are unstable and can lead to the stimulated emission of large quantities of radiation.
Population Inversion
Every electron in a system has a certain amount of energy. Population Inversion occurs when most of the electrons are in the higher energy state.
Normal population
Inverted population
Stimulated Emission
one of the electrons randomly jumps to the lower energy level. When it does, it emits a photon with an energy equal to the energy difference between the two levels.
Radiation
Light bulbs emit electromagnetic radiation in a most disorganized way. MASERS emit radiation much more orderly. Because they were produced by stimulated emission. All the photons are monochromatic, in phase, similarly polarized, and travel in the same direction.
First Maser
The first maser was an ammoniabeam maser (1954) The two energy levels used in the ammonia maser are vibrational states of the ammonia molecule The hydrogen atoms can be considered to rotate
H
H
The nitrogen atom oscillates between two positions, above and below the plane of the hydrogen atoms
Monochromatic
Light is a wave with frequency, wavelength and energy. The light emitted by a MASER is of one frequency, wavelength and energy. Color is related to frequency and so the light is said to be monochromatic. (Mono = one, chromatic = color)
monochromatic
not monochromatic
In phase
Light is a wave and has a wavelength. If two waves begin at the same point, they are in phase. Added together, their amplitude increases. When two waves begin at different points, they are out of phase. If they are added together, their amplitude decreases.
Polarization
Vertical
Waves can be polarized in four different ways. All the microwaves emitted by a maser are polarized in the same way.
Horizontal
Right handed
left handed
Masers in Space
Several different types of molecular masers have been discovered in space. They produce radiation using chemicals including: Hydroxyl (OH)Formaldehyde (H2CO) Ammonia (NH3) Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN)
Because these sources are so strong, astrochemists use them to find and identify new chemicals in space.
Astrophysical Maser
For an Astrophysical Maser to function in space, it requires a magnetic field for the resonant frequency to be formed
Can be used to identify conditions in space, such as temperature, magnetic field, and velocity. OH, water, methanol- common types
Maser Applications
Improved atomic clock
Reconnaissance aircraft
Reconnaissance aircraft are primarily used to gather intelligence (collect information). They are equipped with photographic, infrared, radar, and television sensors.
Reconnaissance aircraft are normally the fastest aircraft in the military, an example being the SR-71 Blackbird.
1/11/2013
Works Cited
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maser
http://www-ra.phys.utas.edu.au/~sellings/queens.html
http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0832083.html http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Maser
http://www.Globalsecurity.org/org/news/2001/010227/zapper.htm
web.haystack.mit.edu/RET/Astrochemistry
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