Slow speed light and possible RP laser control implications?

From: Monica & Glenn Whiteside (SiderWhite@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Mon Feb 22 1999 - 02:31:37 EET


Just read a very interesting article where a group of physicists at Rowland
Institute for Science at Cambridge and Harvard University were able to slow
the speed of light to a leisurely 38 mph by shooting a laser through
extremely cold (-459.67 degrees below zero) sodium atoms (this high density
group of atoms is called a Bose-Einstein condensate) which worked like
"optical molasses" to slow the light down. The lead researcher, a Danish
physicist named Lene Vestergaard Hau, envisioned improved communications
technology, televison displays, even night-vision devices. The scientists
believe it is possible to slow it 1,000 times further - to a crawl.

I'm wondering what the implications of this would be to the RP industry,
especialliy how it relates to the control of laser light used in processes
like stereolithography. Would this also enable a more precise and accurate
control of UV and/or infrared energy? Especially for creating extremely
fine details? Speed up the laser for certain features and slow it down for
others? Any further thoughts or ideas on this?

Best Regards,

Glenn Whiteside

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