Need to cool something extra-fast? New research suggests that lasers might do the trick.

Physicists proposed the idea of laser cooling 30 years ago, but until now, experiments had been largely unsuccessful and only worked with low-pressure gases. Now, German researchers have shown that bombarding high-pressure gas with a laser can produce dramatic cooling, dropping the temperature as much as 66 degrees Celsius (about 119 degrees Fahrenheit) in a matter of seconds.

The researchers say laser cooling of dense gases could work as a new kind of refrigeration, and might even be able to achieve temperatures close to absolute zero. They reported their findings Wednesday in Nature.

Laser cooling works because zapping gas molecules with the right kind of laser excites electrons into higher-than-normal orbits. "In this process the electron orbits of the particles 'bend,'" physicist Martin Weitz of the University of Bonn said in a press release. "At the time of the collision, you therefore need less energy than normal in order to vault the electron into a high orbit."

Once the collision is over, the orbits return to their normal shape, and electrons have to absorb energy to stay in the new higher orbit. As electrons soak up extra energy, gas particles slow down and the temperature drops.

And what's the point of all this fancy physics? Super-fast refrigeration can create "supercooled" gases, which stay in a gaseous state at temperatures that would normally turn them into liquid. Scientists who study matter are fascinated by the unusual properties of supercooled materials, while food scientists have used supercooling to make shinier chocolate and extra-pure vodka.

The researchers say there's also an important benefit for the rest of us: Say hello to the laser-cooled mini fridge.

*Image: Flickr/San Diego Shooter. Note: Han Solo was probably NOT frozen in carbonite by laser cooling. Perhaps the Ugnaughts could also have benefited from this technology.
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