maser
/ˈmeɪzər/
noun
- A device that produces a very narrow, intense beam of microwaves, similar to a laser but using microwaves instead of light.
- The maser is used in radio telescopes to amplify weak signals from space.
- Scientists built the first maser in the 1950s as a precursor to the laser.
- Atomic clocks often use a hydrogen maser for extreme precision.