Researchers at Hunan Normal University in China have made a significant breakthrough in acoustic technology by developing the most powerful sound laser to date. Unlike traditional lasers that emit concentrated beams of light, this new device generates a focused beam of sound waves, ten times stronger and more precise than previous attempts.

The device operates by vibrating a tiny particle within a resonant cavity using two laser beams. This vibration amplifies phonons (sound particles analogous to photons in light), resulting in a more intense sound beam.

The sound laser's ability to penetrate fluids without the same degree of distortion as light-based lasers makes it a promising tool for various applications. Potential uses include underwater exploration, submarine detection, and medical imaging.

While the researchers have successfully operated the sound laser for over an hour, practical applications are still a way off. Producing a high-powered, long-lasting sound laser for real-world uses remains a challenging task.

The study, titled "Giant enhancement of nonlinear harmonics of an optical-tweezer phonon laser" was published in the journal eLight.