Abstract
For several decades Optical Physics has been in a golden period of rapid and exponentiating growth, in both the laser techniques becoming available and the optical physics phenomena accessible for our study. In no small part the success of this global research effort is traceable to the positive and optimistic attitudes and interaction styles of our community’s people themselves. The relationships between labs and their visitors have been ones of cooperation and collaboration, with huge mutual benefit, and acceleration of our field. As one of the principal European centers, the MPQ Garching lab carries Herbert Walter’s genetic stamp of enthusiasm, insightful and successful hard work, and attention to the really key physics and technology issues of the time. But these characteristics have also made the time pass all too quickly. In these words I mention just one of the technical opportunities that could grow even now from technical ideas Herbert had demonstrated—but about 30 years before their time. Such a fast-tuning but precise and powerful laser could have a real application in producing even higher densities and numbers of cold atoms and molecules.
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Original Text © Astro, Ltd., 2007.