Re: Why Isn't a "Gluon Beam" Possible?

Radium wrote:
> Hi:
>
> If a *photon* beam [Maser for Microwave, Laser for light] can be made,
> then why can't a *gluon* beam be made? The *Gluon* is to the STRONG
> force what the *Photon* is to the ELECTROMAGNETIC force. Right?

There are several obstructions. Due to quark confinement, ordinary
matter is highly color neutral. This means it would be hard to build
the components that a laser needs (cavity, medium, pump, etc.) Also due
to quark confinement, it is very unlikely to see free gluons at all.
Lastly, since QCD is non-Abelian, the gluon field interacts with
itself. In other words, we cannot rely on the ground state of a large
collection of gluons to be the same as the ground state of a large
collection of photons (i.e. all of them bunching up in the lowest
energy state). The last property is essential for the construction of a
laser.

In short, it'd be really tough. Hope this helps.

Igor

.

Relevant Pages

  • Dies the Magnet
    ... decay" (abstract at: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1991AmJPh..59...25C ... it is possible that the electromagnetic force could spontaneously ... Photon now has mass and moves slightly slower than c. ... No magnetic or electric fields beyond 1 cm or so. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • Re: Dies the Magnet
    ... decay" (abstract at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1991AmJPh..59...25C ... it is possible that the electromagnetic force could spontaneously ... Photon now has mass and moves slightly slower than c. ... No magnetic or electric fields beyond 1 cm or so. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • Re: light photons and EM waves
    ... Yes--The force carrier (boson) for the electromagnetic force is the photon. ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Why Isnt a "Gluon Beam" Possible?
    ... force what the *Photon* is to the ELECTROMAGNETIC force. ... Radium ... Prev by Date: ...
    (sci.physics.research)