free-electron laser
noun
free-elec·tron laser
ˈfrē-i-ˈlek-ˌträn- 
: a laser that can be tuned over a wide range of frequencies and that produces electromagnetic radiation by the motion of electrons moving at relativistic velocities in a magnetic field
Examples of free-electron laser in a Sentence
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Over the past 15 years, scientists have built X-ray free-electron lasers, which instead of emitting beams of visible light emit X-rays.
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Thomas Linker, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
With pulses that short, observers can harness a free-electron laser to see individual atoms in motion, molecules making and breaking bonds, and even electron orbitals in excitation.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2023
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Thomas Linker, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
With pulses that short, observers can harness a free-electron laser to see individual atoms in motion, molecules making and breaking bonds, and even electron orbitals in excitation.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Free-electron laser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free-electron%20laser. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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