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Narrator: OZONE in Earth's atmosphere has both good and bad qualities. In the upper
atmosphere it prevents dangerous ultraviolet light from reaching the Earth's surface, but
in the lower atmosphere it pollutes the air and has harmful effects on both plants and
animals.To monitor ozone levels, scientists at NASA's Langley Research Center have developed
a Line Tunable Ultra Violet Laser. Dr. Barnes: What we developed is a single
laser which produces 2 wavelengths which we could then use non-linear optics to generate
the ultraviolet. We call the laser the stop laser for Synchornous Tunable Optical Pulses.
Narrator: Besides being able to conduct measurements of Ozone in the atmosphere, the STOP laser
has many other potential applications, including tattoo removal.
Dr. Barnes: In order to get rid of the tattoo they do use laser techniques, but you do have
to have a laser which is tuned to the ink which does the absorbing.
Narrator: It can also be applied in photodynamic therapy to treat cancer.
Dr. Barnes: A cancer patient will ingest some dye, which preferentially accumulates in the
cancer cells. You then illuminate that with the laser at the right wavelength and that
creates free oxygen within the cancer cells, but nothing in healthy cells. The free oxygen
in the cancer cells will tend to kill the cancer.
Narrator: Let NASA Langley's versatile Line Tunable Ultraviolet Laser be the cost effective
choice for your companies needs.