The Institute for Laser Science is a department of the University of Electro Communications, located near Tokyo, Japan.

History and achievements

Established in 1980, the Institute specializes mainly in improving the performance of gas lasers, especially excimer lasers. Between 1990 and 2005, the Institute developed fiber disk lasers, disk laser (active mirror) and the concept of power scaling. Ultra-low loss mirror was developed aiming application for high power lasers (1995). Since 2000, its main research directions have been in the areas of solid state lasers, fiber lasers and ceramics. Since then, the Institute has carried out experiments with quantum reflection of cold excited neon atoms from silicon surfaces. The institute has also performed the first experiments with quantum reflection of cold atoms from Si surface and, in particular, ridged mirrors for cold atoms and the interpretation as Zeno effect. In 2004, the Institute developed the first microchip atomic trap.

Current research