When most
people see a laser beam they are amazed by its
unique physical properties. Laser light is so unique
from other light because it is coherent; unlike
ordinary light, which travels in all directions, laser
light travels in a straight beam. The word laser is
an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation. The history of the laser is
very interesting. Lasers have changed immensely
since they were first invented. Before the laser was
invented, Charles Townes developed the maser in
1954. The maser has basically the same principles
as the laser, but it involves microwaves instead of
light. The maser lead Theodore Maximan to
assemble the first working laser in 1960; he did
this by applying the masers qualities to light. This
first solid-state laser was a ruby crystal laser. A
year after the first solid-state laser was invented,
the first gas laser was constructed by Ali Javan,
W. R. Bennett, and D. R. Herriot. This was a
helium-neon......
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