The theoretical foundations for laser were first established by Albert Einstein in his paper entitled Zur Quantentheorie der Strahlung in 1917. He did this by re-deriving the Max Plank’s law of radiation. Later in 1947, Willis Lamb and R.C. Retherford managed the first demonstration of stimulated emission. The term laser was coined as a short form for ‘Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation’. Later, Charles H. Townes and Arthur L. Schawlow of Bell Labs started a serious study of infrared lasers; afterwards they abandoned infrared radiation and instead switched to visible light study. In 1960, the US Patent Office awarded Bell Labs a patent for their laser, despite much controversy in the field. At the same time on 16 May, 1960, Throdore Maiman wrought the first operable laser using a solid-state flash lamp-pumped ruby crystal that resulted in pulsed operation. This later led to the first gas laser that used helium and neon components to operate continuously. Research and innovations in the field of lasers continue to this day.
Laser
