Titanium-sapphire (Ti: sapphire) lasers are regarded as having "unmatched" capabilities. They play a crucial role in various areas, such as advanced quantum optics, spectroscopy, and neuroscience, making them essential.
However, their superior performance comes at a significant cost. These lasers are large, measuring in cubic feet, and are costly, with prices reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Additionally, they need other high-powered lasers, each costing US$30,000, to provide the necessary energy for operation.
Researchers at Stanford University have successfully developed a Ti: sapphire laser on a chip, marking a major advancement in terms of size, efficiency, and affordability.
The prototype is now ten thousand times smaller and three thousand times cheaper than any Ti: sapphire laser previously created.