Devices: Visible and UV lasers: Problems and promises: New families of gas lasers are expected to deliver a range of pulse intensities, durations, and wavelengths for diverse applications

Three new families of powerful and efficient gas lasers — the rare-gas halides, molecular halogens, and mercury halides — all operating in either the ultraviolet or visible regions of the spectrum, are promising candidates for several exciting applications. Unknown several years ago, these new devices — also called excimer lasers — may prove ideal tools for the separation of useful elements from nuclear waste, for laser-driven thermonuclear fusion, for purification of chemical compounds, and for underwater communications and remote sensing of submerged objects.