Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,812,238,954 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

laser
(redirected from laser whitening)

   Also found in: Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
la·ser  (lzr)
n.
Any of several devices that emit highly amplified and coherent radiation of one or more discrete frequencies. One of the most common lasers makes use of atoms in a metastable energy state that, as they decay to a lower energy level, stimulate others to decay, resulting in a cascade of emitted radiation.

[l(ight) a(mplification by) s(timulated) e(mission of) r(adiation).]
click for a larger image
laser
diagram showing the output stage of a ruby laser

laser [ˈleɪzə]
n
1. (Physics / General Physics) a source of high-intensity optical, infrared, or ultraviolet radiation produced as a result of stimulated emission maintained within a solid, liquid, or gaseous medium. The photons involved in the emission process all have the same energy and phase so that the laser beam is monochromatic and coherent, allowing it to be brought to a fine focus
2. (Physics / General Physics) any similar source producing a beam of any electromagnetic radiation, such as infrared or microwave radiation See also maser
[from light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation]

laser  (lzr)
Short for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. A device that creates and amplifies electromagnetic radiation of a specific frequency through the process of stimulated emission. The radiation emitted by a laser consists of a coherent beam of photons, all in phase and having the same polarization. Lasers have many uses, such as cutting hard or delicate substances, reading data from compact disks and other storage devices, and establishing straight lines in geographical surveying.
A Closer Look A laser emits a thin, intense beam of nearly monochromatic visible or infrared light that can travel long distances without diffusing. Most light beams consist of many waves traveling in roughly the same direction, but the phases and polarizations of each individual wave (or photon) are randomly distributed. In laser light, the waves are all precisely in step, or in phase, with each other, and have the same polarization. Such light is called coherent. All of the photons that make up a laser beam are in the same quantum state. Lasers produce coherent light through a process called stimulated emission. The laser contains a chamber in which atoms of a medium such as a synthetic ruby rod or a gas are excited, bringing their electrons into higher orbits with higher energy states. When one of these electrons jumps down to a lower energy state (which can happen spontaneously), it gives off its extra energy as a photon with a specific frequency. But this photon, upon encountering another atom with an excited electron, will stimulate that electron to jump down as well, emitting another photon with the same frequency as the first and in phase with it. This effect cascades through the chamber, constantly stimulating other atoms to emit yet more coherent photons. Mirrors at both ends of the chamber cause the light to bounce back and forth in the chamber, sweeping across the entire medium. If a sufficient number of atoms in the medium are maintained by some external energy source in the higher energy statea condition called population inversionthen emission is continuously stimulated, and a stream of coherent photons develops. One of the mirrors is partially transparent, allowing the laser beam to exit from that end of the chamber. Lasers have many industrial, military, and scientific uses, including welding, target detection, microscopic photography, fiber optics, surgery, and optical instrumentation for surveying.
click for a larger image
laser
the output stage of a ruby laser

Any device that can produce or amplify optical radiation primarily by the process of controlled stimulated emission. A laser may emit electromagnetic radiation from the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum through the infrared portion. Also, an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation."
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.laserlaser - an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation; an optical device that produces an intense monochromatic beam of coherent light
optical device - a device for producing or controlling light
photocoagulator - surgical instrument containing a laser for use in photocoagulation
Translations
laser [ˈleɪzəʳ]
A. Nláser m
B. CPD laser beam Nrayo m láser
laser gun Npistola f de rayos láser
laser printer Nimpresora f láser
laser surgery Ncirujía f con láser

laser [ˈleɪzər]
nlaser m
modif [technology] → laser inv; [surgery, treatment] → laser inv laser light
laser beam nrayon m laser
laser disc laser disk ndisque m laser
laser disc player nplatine f laser
laser light nlumière f laser
laser printer nimprimante f laser
laser show nspectacle m laser

laser
nLaser m; (Comput: = printer) → Laserdrucker m

laser in cpdsLaser-;
laser beam
nLaserstrahl m
laser disc
nLaserdisc f, → Laserdisk f
laser gun
nLaserkanone for -pistole f
laser medicine
nLasermedizin f
laser printer
nLaserdrucker m
laser show
nLasershow f
laser surgery
laser technology
nLasertechnik f
laser weapon
nLaserwaffe f

laser [ˈleɪzəʳ] nlaser m inv
laser [ˈleɪzəʳ] nlaser m inv

laser
n laser [ˈleizə]
(an instrument that produces) a narrow and very intense beam of light The men were cutting the sheets of metal with a laser; (also adjective ) a laser beam. laser أشِعَّة ليزر лазер laser; laserový laser; laser- der Laser, Laser-... λέιζερ láser laser لیزر laser laser לֵייזֶר लेजर laser lézer laser leysir, leysigeisli laser レーザー 레이저 lazeris lāzers; lāzera- laser laser laser(-) laser(owy) laser laser лазер laser; laserový laser laser laser แสงเลเซอร์ lazer 雷射 лазер, оптичний квантовий генератор سرخ، مرئی یا بالا بنفشی حصے میں مربوط یک رنگ شعاعوں کی شدید لہر la-de
n laser printer
laserdrukker طابِعَة ليزر лазерен принтер laserová tiskárna laserprinter der Laserdrucker εκτυπωτής λέιζερ impresora a láser laserprinter چاپگر لیزری imprimante à laser מִדפֶּסֶת לֵייזֶר लेजर प्रिंटर laserski printer lézernyomtató printer laser stampante laser レーザープリンター lazerinis spausdintuvas lāzerprinteris pencetak laser laserprinter laserskriver drukarka laserowa лазерный принтер laserová tlačiareň laserski tiskalnik laserski štampač laserskrivare เครื่องพิมพ์เลเซอร์ lazer yazıcı 激光打印機 лазерний принтер لیزر کی شعاعوں پر مبنی طباعت کی مشین máy in la de

laser ليزر laser laser Laser λέιζερ láser laser laser laser laser レーザー 레이저 laser laser laser laser лазер laser แสงเลเซอร์ lazer la-de 激光


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
Dentists believe that the result of laser whitening treatment is good.
High end tooth whitening techniques like laser whitening are the most popular among the stars who have money.
Dentists believe that the result of laser whitening treatment is good.
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.