Technology and the built world

Laser Mégajoule

Laser Mégajoule (LMJ) is France's large inertial confinement fusion laser facility at CEA Cesta near Bordeaux, inaugurated in 2014 to help certify the nuclear deterrent without underground testing.

Laser melting deposition

Laser melting deposition is a metal additive manufacturing process in which a laser melts powder or wire onto a substrate to build dense layers for coatings, repair, and fabrication.

Laser metal deposition

Laser metal deposition (LMD) is an additive manufacturing process that uses a laser to melt metal powder or wire onto parts, building or repairing them layer by layer.

Laser micromachining is a manufacturing method that uses focused laser beams to remove material and fabricate microscale features such as holes, channels, and surface textures in metals, polymers, and ceramics.

Laser peening

Laser peening is a surface treatment that uses laser-generated shock waves to leave deep compressive stress in metal, improving fatigue life and corrosion resistance in jet engine blades and landing gear.

Oct 22, 2026

Laser polishing of additively manufactured surfaces

Laser polishing of additively manufactured surfaces is a non-contact method in which a laser remelts a thin layer of a 3D-printed metal part, letting surface tension smooth roughness.

Oct 22, 2026

Laser powder bed fusion of bulk metallic glasses

Laser powder bed fusion of bulk metallic glasses is an additive manufacturing method that builds amorphous metal parts by laser-melting alloy powder layer by layer.

Laser printing

Laser printing is an electrophotographic process in which a laser writes an image onto a charged drum, which dry toner develops and heat fuses to paper.

Laser pyrolysis

Laser pyrolysis is a materials synthesis method that uses a CO2 laser to decompose gaseous or liquid precursors into high-purity nanoparticles, typically 5 to 30 nm.

Laser Radial

The Laser Radial, designated ILCA 6 since the class was renamed ILCA in 2019, is a smaller-sailed rig for the Laser dinghy, the Olympic women's single-handed dinghy since 2008.

Laser seam tracking

Laser seam tracking is a robotic welding technique in which a laser vision sensor measures the joint between workpieces and guides the torch along the actual seam.

Laser surface texturing

Laser surface texturing (LST) is a laser process that creates precise micro-scale dimples and grooves on surfaces to reduce friction and wear in mechanical seals, bearings, and piston rings.

Laser transmission welding

Laser transmission welding is a non-contact process that joins plastics by passing laser light through a transparent part into an absorbing part, melting the interface.

Laser triangulation

Laser triangulation is a non-contact optical technique in which a laser beam or line is projected onto a surface and a camera measures distance from the resulting triangle geometry.

Laser ultrasonics

Laser ultrasonics is a non-destructive testing method using lasers to both generate and detect ultrasonic waves, enabling non-contact inspection of hot, rough, or hard-to-reach surfaces.

Laser weapon

A laser weapon, also called a laser gun, is a directed energy weapon that uses a concentrated high-energy laser beam, rather than a projectile, to dazzle, damage, or destroy a target.

Laser-assisted machining

Laser-assisted machining is a hybrid cutting process in which a laser softens the workpiece ahead of the cutting tool, easing the machining of hard alloys and ceramics.

Laser-induced forward transfer

Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) is a nozzle-free printing technique in which a pulsed laser propels material from a thin donor film onto a receiving substrate, depositing one voxel per pulse.

LaserDisc

LaserDisc is a 12-inch analog optical videodisc format introduced in 1978 by MCA and Philips as DiscoVision, offering better quality than VHS but selling mainly in Japan.

Lasertec (company)

Lasertec Corporation, レーザーテック株式会社, is a Japanese maker of optical semiconductor inspection systems in Yokohama, best known for EUV mask inspection, with 82.6% market share in 2025.

Lasham Gliding Society

Lasham Gliding Society is a private, not-for-profit gliding club at Lasham Airfield in Hampshire, England, with over 700 members and a claim to be the world's largest gliding club.

Lashburn East Waseca Oil Pool

The Lashburn East Waseca Sand Pool is a designated heavy oil pool near Lashburn and Waseca, Saskatchewan, producing from the Waseca Formation and developed with steam injection since 2014.

Lassen (supercomputer)

Lassen was an unclassified IBM/NVIDIA supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the companion to the classified Sierra system, commissioned in 2018 and retired in 2025.

Lasso

Lasso, also known as Reata, is a dynamically typed, object-oriented programming language and server platform for building data-driven web applications, first released in 1996 as FileMaker middleware.

Last

A last, also known as a shoe last, is the foot-shaped form or mold around which a shoe is constructed, determining its fit, appearance, and comfort; lasts have been used since around 400 BCE.

Last battle of Bismarck

The last battle of Bismarck, also called the sinking of the Bismarck, was the German battleship's destruction by British warships in the North Atlantic on 27 May 1941.

Last mile (transportation)

The last mile in transportation is the final leg of a journey or shipment, from a transport hub or depot to the traveler's or customer's destination, and is the most expensive part of shipping.

Last planner system

The last planner system (LPS) is a lean construction planning and control method developed by Glenn Ballard from 1992, in which the people doing the work make collaborative commitments.

Last.fm

Last.fm, also known as AudioScrobbler, is a music website founded in London in 2002 that records what users listen to across streaming services, producing personal charts and music recommendations.