Scientists refrigerate water...with lasers!

Category: Research
Type: News
Source: PNNL
Date: Wednesday, November 25th, 2015

For the 1st time, researchers cool liquids with a laser

November 25, 2015

Susan Bauer, PNNL, (509) 372-6083

Issued by University of Washington

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As they are cooled by the laser, the nanocrystals developed by the UW research team emit a reddish-green "glow" that can be seen by the naked eye.
Image courtesy of Dennis Wise/ University of Washington
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This instrument built by UW engineers (from left) Peter Pauzauskie (who holds a dual appointment at PNNL), Xuezhe Zhou, Bennett Smith, Matthew Crane and Paden Roder (unpictured) has used infrared laser light to refrigerate liquids for the 1st time.
Image courtesy of Dennis Wise/ University of Washington

one of one

RICHLAND, Wash. - A research team at the University of Washington has demonstrated - for the 1st time - that lasers can cool liquids in real-world conditions. The findings were published Nov. 20 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The lead author, Peter Pauzauskie, is an assistant professor at the University of Washington who holds a dual appointment at the D.O.E.'s Pacific Northwest National Lab in Richland.

In the study, the team used an infrared laser to cool water by about 36 degrees Fahrenheit - a major breakthrough in the field. The discovery could one day help industrial users "point cool" specific components and help with biological applications such as studying cells.

"Using laser cooling, it may be possible to prepare slow-motion movies of life in action," said Pauzauskie. "And the advantage is that you don't have to cool the entire cell, which could kill it or change its behavior."

Pauzauskie led the UW team, which developed an instrument using infrared laser light to refrigerate liquids. More information about this work is accessible in this UW news release.

Tags: Fundamental Science, Biology, Nanoscience

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