History of the Laser © 2025 | All Rights Reserved
B
- Bell Labs
A renowned research and scientific development company where significant advancements in laser technology were made, including the development of the first gas laser. - Coherent Light
Light in which waves maintain a constant phase relationship, essential for laser operation. Coherent light allows lasers to produce focused, precise beams.
C
- Charles Townes
A physicist who, along with Arthur Schawlow, contributed to the theoretical development of the laser. They published key theoretical calculations in 1958. - Continuous Operation
A mode of laser operation where the laser emits a constant beam of light, as opposed to pulsed operation which emits light in bursts. - Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM)
A technology in optical telecommunications that increases bandwidth by allowing multiple wavelengths of laser light to be transmitted simultaneously over a single fiber optic cable. - Diode Laser
A type of semiconductor laser that emits light when an electric current passes through it. Diode lasers are widely used in telecommunications, data storage, and consumer electronics.
D
- Dual-Stage Optical Amplifier
A type of optical amplifier invented by Ciena engineers, crucial for the development of DWDM systems in telecommunications.
E
- Einstein’s Stimulated Emission
The process by which an incoming photon causes an excited electron to drop to a lower energy level, releasing a second photon of identical energy, phase, and direction.
F
- Fiber-Optic Communications
A method of transmitting information as light pulses through optical fibers. Laser technology is fundamental in enabling high-speed and high-capacity fiber-optic networks. - Free-Space Optics
The transmission of light or data through the open air or vacuum, without the use of fiber optic cables. It is an emerging application area for laser technology.
G
- Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)
A semiconductor material used in the manufacture of semiconductor lasers, particularly those emitting in the near-infrared spectrum. - Gas Laser
A type of laser where the lasing medium is a gas or a mixture of gases. The first gas laser was the helium-neon laser developed at Bell Labs in 1960. - Gordon Gould
A graduate student who coined the term “LASER” and played a pivotal role in the conceptual development and patenting of laser technology.
H
- Heterojunction
A junction between two different semiconductor materials, crucial for the development of efficient and practical semiconductor lasers. - He-Ne Laser (Helium-Neon Laser)
The first gas laser, capable of continuous operation and emitting light in the infrared spectrum. Developed by Ali Javan and his team at Bell Labs in 1960.
I
- Interferometry
A technique that uses the interference of light waves to make precise measurements. Lasers provide the coherent light necessary for high-precision interferometry. - Izuo Hayashi
A scientist who, along with Zhores Alferov and Morton Panish, developed room-temperature, continuous-operation diode lasers in 1970.
J
- James T. Kikkawa
(Note: If not relevant based on the provided text, this entry can be omitted.) - Ali Javan
A physicist who, along with William R. Bennett Jr. and Donald R. Herriott, constructed the first gas laser (helium-neon laser) at Bell Labs in 1960.
K
- Kevin Kimberlin
A co-founder of Ciena Corp alongside Gordon Gould and David Huber, contributing to advancements in optical telecommunications equipment.
L
- Laser
An acronym for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.” Lasers emit focused, coherent beams of light used in various applications from telecommunications to medicine. - Lasing Medium
The material within a laser that amplifies light through the process of stimulated emission. Examples include ruby crystals, gas mixtures, and semiconductor materials. - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER)
The fundamental principle behind laser operation, involving the amplification of light through stimulated emission. - Light Optics Research
Refers to the scientific study and development of optical technologies, including lasers. David Huber, a former head of Light Optics Research, co-founded Ciena Corp.
M
- Marshall C. Van Houten
(Note: If not relevant based on the provided text, this entry can be omitted.) - Material Processing
The use of lasers in manufacturing to cut, weld, etch, and manipulate materials with high precision and control. - May 16, 1960 – First Functioning Laser
The date Theodore H. Maiman operated the first functioning laser using a synthetic ruby crystal at Hughes Research Laboratories. - Morton Panish
A scientist who, along with Zhores Alferov and Izuo Hayashi, developed room-temperature, continuous-operation diode lasers in 1970. - Maiman’s Ruby Laser
The first operational laser, demonstrated by Theodore H. Maiman in 1960, which used a synthetic ruby crystal as the lasing medium.
N
- Nick Holonyak Jr.
A physicist who demonstrated the first semiconductor laser with visible emission, advancing the development of practical laser devices. - Non-Contact Method
A technique in manufacturing where lasers are used to process materials without physical contact, reducing tool wear and contamination risks.
O
- Optical Amplification
The process of increasing the power of light signals, essential in both laser operation and telecommunications. - Optical Communications
The transmission of information using light, typically through fiber-optic cables, enabled by laser technology. - Optical Maser
An early term used to describe laser-like devices operating in the optical spectrum. Bell Labs filed a patent for an “optical maser” in 1958. - Optical Resonator
A key component of laser devices, consisting of two mirrors that form a cavity to amplify light through repeated reflections. - Optically Flat Mirror
A highly polished mirror with a perfectly flat surface, used in laser resonators to ensure precise light amplification.
P
- Pulsed Operation
A mode of laser operation where light is emitted in short, intense bursts rather than a continuous beam. - Photon
A fundamental particle of light, responsible for carrying electromagnetic energy. In lasers, photons are emitted through stimulated emission. - Physical Review
A prestigious scientific journal where Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow published their theoretical calculations on lasers in 1958. - Patent Battles
Legal disputes over intellectual property rights. Gordon Gould engaged in a 28-year patent battle with Bell Labs over laser patents. - Photonics
The science and technology of generating, controlling, and detecting photons, particularly in the visible and near-infrared light spectrum. Lasers are a central technology in photonics. - Patent #4,053,845
The patent issued to Gordon Gould for optically pumped and gas discharge laser devices, recognizing his contributions to laser technology. - Pumping (Laser Pumping)
The process of supplying energy to the lasing medium to achieve population inversion, necessary for stimulated emission and laser operation. Methods include flashlamps and electrical currents.
Q
- Quantum Theory of Radiation
Albert Einstein’s theory introduced in 1917, explaining the interaction between matter and energy and introducing stimulated emission, the basis for laser operation.
R
- Resonator (Optical Resonator)
The part of the laser where light amplification occurs, typically consisting of two mirrors that create a standing wave cavity for light. - Room-Temperature Operation
The ability of a laser to operate effectively at ambient temperatures, a crucial advancement achieved by Zhores Alferov, Izuo Hayashi, and Morton Panish in 1970.
S
- Semiconductor Laser
A laser that uses a semiconductor as the lasing medium. These lasers are compact, efficient, and widely used in telecommunications, data storage, and consumer electronics. - Spectrometry
The measurement and analysis of spectra, often utilizing lasers for precise and accurate results in scientific research. - Stimulated Emission
The process by which an incoming photon induces an excited electron to drop to a lower energy state, releasing a second photon of identical energy, phase, and direction. This is the fundamental principle behind laser operation. - Stephen Alexander
- Stimulated Emission of Radiation
The process that leads to the amplification of light in lasers, as described by Albert Einstein and utilized in laser technology. - Synchrotron Radiation
T
- Theodore H. Maiman
The physicist who operated the first functioning laser using a synthetic ruby crystal on May 16, 1960, marking a pivotal moment in laser history. - Transmittance
The measure of how much light passes through a material or optical component, such as the partially reflecting mirrors in a laser resonator. - Technical Research Group (TRG)
The company where Gordon Gould worked when he developed his early laser concepts and coined the term “LASER.”
U
- Ultrafast Lasers
Lasers that emit extremely short pulses of light, typically in the picosecond or femtosecond range, used in advanced scientific research and applications like quantum computing. - Unified Patent System (USPTO)
The United States Patent and Trademark Office, responsible for granting patents. The USPTO was involved in the lengthy patent battles between Gordon Gould and Bell Labs. - United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
The federal agency responsible for issuing patents and registering trademarks in the United States. The USPTO denied Gould’s initial laser patent application in 1960, leading to a prolonged legal dispute.
V
- Violet Laser
A laser that emits light in the violet region of the visible spectrum. (Note: Specific mention not in provided text; include if relevant.)
W
- Wafer Dicing
A semiconductor manufacturing process where lasers are used to precisely cut silicon wafers into individual chips, minimizing tool wear and contamination. - Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM)
A technology that increases the capacity of optical fiber communications by using multiple wavelengths (colors) of laser light to carry different data streams simultaneously. - William R. Bennett Jr.
A physicist who collaborated with Ali Javan and Donald R. Herriott to construct the first helium-neon gas laser at Bell Labs in 1960.
Z
- Zhores Alferov
A Soviet physicist who, along with Izuo Hayashi and Morton Panish, developed room-temperature, continuous-operation diode lasers in 1970, advancing semiconductor laser technology.