The

First Laser

While Gould was developing his ideas, other scientists were also working on similar concepts.

In 1958, the Soviet physicist Alexander Prokhorov independently proposed using an open resonator, marking the first published appearance of this idea.

The same year, researchers at Bell Labs filed a patent application for their proposed “optical maser,” while Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow submitted a manuscript of their theoretical calculations to the Physical Review, which was published in 1958.

The race to create the first functioning laser was on, with several research teams competing to turn theory into reality. These teams included Townes at Columbia University, Schawlow at Bell Labs, and Gould at the TRG (Technical Research Group) company.

Alexander Prokhorov

Charles Townes

Artur Schawlow

The First

Functioning Laser

On May 16, 1960, a pivotal moment in the history of laser technology occurred when Theodore H. Maiman operated the first functioning laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.

Maiman’s laser used a synthetic ruby crystal as the lasing medium, which he excited by a flashlamp.

This setup produced a beam of coherent red light with a wavelength of 694 nanometers. Although the device was only capable of pulsed operation due to its three-level pumping design scheme, it opened the floodgates for further laser development.

Photo credit: The Smithsonian

While Maiman is credited with creating the first operational laser, the U.S. patent system later acknowledged Gould’s contributions.

Patent #4,053,845, issued years later, “gave Gould the credit for the amplifier that excited the first laser.

The Discovery

Laser Technology