--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What the ultrafast laser does is that…" description: "\"What the ultrafast laser does is that because it doesn't have to just cut from the surface, it's only at the intense focal point that it does this dama..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/donna-strickland-17064_atoms_what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-be_3207306.jpg" --- # What the ultrafast laser does is that because it doesn't… ![“What the ultrafast laser does is that because it doesn't have to just cut from the surface, it's only at the intense focal point that it does this damage where the electrons come off the atoms, you could actually put your laser and scan it over your cornea and it would cut underneath that.” quote by Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/donna-strickland-17064_atoms_what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-be_3207306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/donna-strickland-17064_atoms_what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-be_3207306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/donna-strickland-17064_atoms_what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-be_3207306.jpg) > “What the ultrafast laser does is that because it doesn't have to just cut from the surface, it's only at the intense focal point that it does this damage where the electrons come off the atoms, you could actually put your laser and scan it over your cornea and it would cut underneath that.” [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The laser can focus intense energy beneath a surface, allowing precise internal cuts without damaging the exterior. **In simple terms:** Laser can cut under surfaces precisely. Key Takeaway Use focused energy for precise internal work. Themes technology precision innovation Mood technical optimistic Type scientific inspirational When to use this quote - eye surgery - material processing - microfabrication - research labs Key Concepts laser physics nonlinear optics medical applications Questions to Reflect On - How can this technique improve medical procedures? - What safety measures are needed? A Different Perspective Requires careful control to avoid unintended internal damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms/) [Focal point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focal-point/) ## Related quotes > [My PhD project was actually doing something that required a high-intensity laser. It was supposed to work in a way that many, many photons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/my-phd-project-was-actually-doing-something-that-required-a-high/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [Gérard Mourou, who was my PhD supervisor, dreamed up the idea of increasing laser intensity by orders of magnitude. He did it while he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/g-rard-mourou-who-was-my-phd-supervisor-dreamed-up-the-idea-of/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [We proved that we could increase laser intensity by orders of magnitude. In fact, CPA led to the most intense laser pulses ever recorded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/we-proved-that-we-could-increase-laser-intensity-by-orders-of/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [Because the high-intensity pulses are short, the laser only damages the area where it's applied. The result is precise, clean cuts that are ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/because-the-high-intensity-pulses-are-short-the-laser-only-damages/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [If laser beams can cut through mountains, why should we doubt the power of prayer?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/if-laser-beams-can-cut-through-mountains-why-should-we-doubt-the/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [“enable the development of photonic computers using laser light to carry information instead of electric current.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/enable-the-development-of-photonic-computers-using-laser-light-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mars has been flown by, orbited, smacked into, radar inspected, and rocketed onto, as well as bounced upon, rolled over, shoveled, drilled into, baked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/mars-has-been-flown-by-orbited-smacked-into-radar-inspected-and/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [We didn't even think about it, you know? I used to collect laser discs, and you'd have some college professor analyzing It's a Wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/we-didn-t-even-think-about-it-you-know-i-used-to-collect-laser-discs/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [Laser technology has fulfilled our people's ancient dream of a blade so fine that the person it cuts remains standing and alive until he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/laser-technology-has-fulfilled-our-people-s-ancient-dream-of-a-blade/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Shine like the day I set cosmic eyes on you, friend, by the light of the sweet squash in my lovely laser broom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-chicho/shine-like-the-day-i-set-cosmic-eyes-on-you-friend-by-the-light-of/) [Bradley Chicho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-chicho/) > [The main ingredient of the first quantum revolution, wave-particle duality, has led to inventions such as the transistor and the laser that are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-aspect/the-main-ingredient-of-the-first-quantum-revolution-wave-particle/) Alain Aspect > [A lot of people complain in the year 2003 that it's not the world of tomorrow as foreseen in the 1950s. 'Where are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/a-lot-of-people-complain-in-the-year-2003-that-it-s-not-the-world-of/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Being virtually killed by a virtual laser in a virtual space is just as effective as the real thing, because you are as dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/being-virtually-killed-by-a-virtual-laser-in-a-virtual-space-is-just/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I am always able to keep a laser focus on one thing at a time without getting distracted. It helps that I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-am-always-able-to-keep-a-laser-focus-on-one-thing-at-a-time-without/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I've had some not-great experiences with laser hair removal, probably because I haven't done what they told me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-weiss/i-ve-had-some-not-great-experiences-with-laser-hair-removal-probably/) [Emily Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-weiss/) ## More by Donna Strickland > [We read to our kids at bedtime because we want to have literacy, but what are we doing to make sure kids are equally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/we-read-to-our-kids-at-bedtime-because-we-want-to-have-literacy-but/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [In high school, I was very good in math and physics. I wasn't good at much of anything else. Some people are good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/in-high-school-i-was-very-good-in-math-and-physics-i-wasn-t-good-at/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [If somebody else thinks something that you don't believe in, just think they're wrong and you're right and keep going. That's pretty much the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/if-somebody-else-thinks-something-that-you-don-t-believe-in-just/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [I think for a long time we were just 10 percent women in physics, and so obviously people can see things in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/i-think-for-a-long-time-we-were-just-10-percent-women-in-physics-and/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [Obviously, over the history of certainly the last 300 years, it was that men went out and worked, and women stayed home. Yes okay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/obviously-over-the-history-of-certainly-the-last-300-years-it-was/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [Because the high-intensity pulses are short, the laser only damages the area where it's applied. The result is precise, clean cuts that are ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/because-the-high-intensity-pulses-are-short-the-laser-only-damages/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [For her PhD, Maria Goeppert Mayer, a theoretical physicist, came up with the idea of multi-photon physics. That means an atom absorbs two or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/for-her-phd-maria-goeppert-mayer-a-theoretical-physicist-came-up-with/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [I still try to make different types of lasers that other people don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/i-still-try-to-make-different-types-of-lasers-that-other-people-don-t/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [I hadn't looked at all the Nobel Prizes and thought, my goodness, there's no women. So it was a little bit surprising to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/i-hadn-t-looked-at-all-the-nobel-prizes-and-thought-my-goodness-there/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [I think we've been pushing for a lot of years and I do feel like women's lib was talked about a lot in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/i-think-we-ve-been-pushing-for-a-lot-of-years-and-i-do-feel-like/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [We proved that we could increase laser intensity by orders of magnitude. In fact, CPA led to the most intense laser pulses ever recorded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/we-proved-that-we-could-increase-laser-intensity-by-orders-of/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [Sometimes you just have to be happy you get one chance in life and not worry too much about whether you get two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/sometimes-you-just-have-to-be-happy-you-get-one-chance-in-life-and/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [Gérard Mourou, who was my PhD supervisor, dreamed up the idea of increasing laser intensity by orders of magnitude. He did it while he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/g-rard-mourou-who-was-my-phd-supervisor-dreamed-up-the-idea-of/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [But I don't see myself as a woman in science. I see myself as a scientist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/but-i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-woman-in-science-i-see-myself-as-a/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) > [When I was a first-year in grad school, there were 18 of us in the Ph.D. program, and four of us were women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/when-i-was-a-first-year-in-grad-school-there-were-18-of-us-in-the-ph/) [Donna Strickland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) [Explore all 38 Donna Strickland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/) ## More Atoms quotes > [If the polymer chain assumes a helicoidal conformation in the crystalline state, and if it does not contain asymmetric carbon atoms, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-natta/if-the-polymer-chain-assumes-a-helicoidal-conformation-in-the/) Giulio Natta > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [ \[Decoding the human genome sequence\] is the most significant undertaking that we have mounted so far in an organized way in all of science.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/decoding-the-human-genome-sequence-is-the-most-significant/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Though an atom is invisible, unthinkable, yet in it are the whole power and potency of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-an-atom-is-invisible-unthinkable-yet-in-it-are-the-whole-power/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Traditional nationalism cannot survive the fissioning of the atom. One world or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-chase/traditional-nationalism-cannot-survive-the-fissioning-of-the-atom-one/) [Stuart Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-chase/) > [I am not sure why, but I have been obsessed by the Atom Bomb ever since it first happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanford-wilson/i-am-not-sure-why-but-i-have-been-obsessed-by-the-atom-bomb-ever/) [Lanford Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanford-wilson/) > [History is the short trudge from Adam to atom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/history-is-the-short-trudge-from-adam-to-atom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The dogma of the impossibility of determining the atomic constitution of substances, which until recently was advocated with such fervor by the most able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-korner/the-dogma-of-the-impossibility-of-determining-the-atomic-constitution/) Wilhelm Korner > [I have never seen what to me seemed an atom of proof that there is a future life. And yet-I am inclined to expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-seen-what-to-me-seemed-an-atom-of-proof-that-there-is-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“An atom is mostly made up of empty space. If you remove the empty space from every atom, the entire world's human population could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weike-wang/an-atom-is-mostly-made-up-of-empty-space-if-you-remove-the-empty/) [Weike Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weike-wang/) > [Nature is full of wonders; every atom is a standing miracle, and endowed with such qualities, as could not be impressed on it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/nature-is-full-of-wonders-every-atom-is-a-standing-miracle-and/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [ “\[Think\] of an experience from your childhood. Something you remember clearly, something you can see, feel, maybe even smell, as if you were really… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-grand/think-of-an-experience-from-your-childhood-something-you-remember/) [Steve Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-grand/) > [The books remind us that way down deep in our hearts, part of us knows that we are creatures of light and we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-books-remind-us-that-way-down-deep-in-our-hearts-part-of-us-knows/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) [Browse all 852 Atoms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What the ultrafast laser does is that because it doesn't have to just cut from the surface, it's only at the intense focal point that it does this damage where the electrons come off the atoms, you could actually put your laser and scan it over your cornea and it would cut underneath that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donna Strickland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-because-it-doesn-t-have-to-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atoms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-because-it-doesn-t-have-to-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/donna-strickland-17064_atoms_what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-be_3207306.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/donna-strickland-17064_atoms_what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-be_3207306.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/donna-strickland-17064_atoms_what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-be_3207306.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What the ultrafast laser does is that because it doesn't have to just cut from the surface, it's only at the…” — Donna Strickland", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Donna Strickland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-strickland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What the ultrafast laser does is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-because-it-doesn-t-have-to-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-strickland/what-the-ultrafast-laser-does-is-that-because-it-doesn-t-have-to-just/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```