Laser science

Short description: Branch of optics

"Laser physics" redirects here. For the journal, see Laser Physics (journal).

A laser experiment on an optical table Laser modules (bottom to top: 405, 445, 520, 532, 635, and 660 nm)

Laser science or laser physics is a branch of optics that describes the theory and practice of lasers.[1]

Laser science is principally concerned with quantum electronics, laser construction, optical cavity design, the physics of producing a population inversion in laser media, and the temporal evolution of the light field in the laser. It is also concerned with the physics of laser beam propagation, particularly the physics of Gaussian beams, with laser applications, and with associated fields such as nonlinear optics and quantum optics.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 See also
* 3 References
* 4 External links

## History

See also: Physics:Laser

Laser science predates the invention of the laser itself. Albert Einstein created the foundations for the laser and maser in 1917, via a paper in which he re-derived Max Planck’s law of radiation using a formalism based on probability coefficients (Einstein coefficients) for the absorption, spontaneous emission, and stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation.[2] The existence of stimulated emission was confirmed in 1928 by Rudolf W. Ladenburg.[3] In 1939, Valentin A. Fabrikant made the earliest laser proposal. He specified the conditions required for light amplification using stimulated emission.[4] In 1947, Willis E. Lamb and R. C. Retherford found apparent stimulated emission in hydrogen spectra and effected the first demonstration of stimulated emission;[3] in 1950, Alfred Kastler (Nobel Prize for Physics 1966) proposed the method of optical pumping, experimentally confirmed, two years later, by Brossel, Kastler, and Winter.[5]

The theoretical principles describing the operation of a microwave laser (a maser) were first described by Nikolay Basov and Alexander Prokhorov at the All-Union Conference on Radio Spectroscopy in May 1952. The first maser was built by Charles H. Townes, James P. Gordon, and Herbert J. Zeiger in 1953. Townes, Basov and Prokhorov were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964 for their research in the field of stimulated emission. Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou, and Donna Strickland were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018 for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics.[6]

The first working laser (a pulsed ruby laser) was demonstrated on May 16, 1960, by Theodore Maiman at the Hughes Research Laboratories.[7]

## See also

* Laser acronyms
* List of laser types

[8]

## References

1. ↑ Taylor, Travis S. (2020). Introduction to laser science and engineering (1st ed.). Boca Raton London New York: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-138-03639-0.
2. ↑ Einstein, Albert (1917). "Zur Quantentheorie der Strahlung" (in de). Physikalische Zeitschrift 18: 121. Bibcode: 1917PhyZ...18..121E.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Steen, W. M. "Laser Materials Processing", 2nd Ed. 1998.
4. ↑ Batani, Dimitri (2004). "Il rischio da laser: cosa è e come affrontarlo; analisi di un problema non così lontano da noi" (in it) (Powerpoint). Programma Corso di Formazione Obbligatorio Anno 2004. http://wwwold.unimib.it/ateneo/presentazione/direzione_ammva/prevenzione_protezione/Semin_sicur_laser.ppt.
5. ↑ "The Nobel Prize in Physics 1966". Presentation Speech by Professor Ivar Waller. https://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1966/press.html.
6. ↑ "The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018". Nobel Foundation. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2018/press-release/.
7. ↑ Townes, Charles Hard. "The first laser". University of Chicago. https://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/284158_townes.html.
8. ↑ Taylor, Travis (20 August 2019). Introduction to Laser Science and Engineering (1st ed.). Boca Raton: CRC Press. doi:10.1201/b22159. ISBN 9781315178561. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/introduction-laser-science-engineering-travis-taylor/10.1201/b22159. Retrieved January 25, 2021.

## External links

* A very detailed tutorial on lasers

* v
* t
* e

Lasers

* List of laser articles
* List of laser types
* List of laser applications
* Laser acronyms

* Laser types: Solid-state
* Semiconductor
* Dye
* Gas
* Chemical
* Excimer
* Ion
* Metal Vapor

Laser physics|

* Active laser medium
* Amplified spontaneous emission
* Continuous wave
* Doppler cooling
* Laser ablation
* Laser cooling
* Laser linewidth
* Lasing threshold
* Magneto-optical trap
* Optical tweezers
* Population inversion
* Resolved sideband cooling
* Ultrashort pulse

Laser optics|

* Beam expander
* Beam homogenizer
* B Integral
* Chirped pulse amplification
* Gain-switching
* Gaussian beam
* Injection seeder
* Laser beam profiler
* M squared
* Mode-locking
* Multiple-prism grating laser oscillator
* Multiphoton intrapulse interference phase scan
* Optical amplifier
* Optical cavity
* Optical isolator
* Output coupler
* Q-switching
* Regenerative amplification

Laser spectroscopy|

* Cavity ring-down spectroscopy
* Confocal laser scanning microscopy
* Laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
* Laser diffraction analysis
* Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
* Laser-induced fluorescence
* Noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy
* Raman spectroscopy
* Second-harmonic imaging microscopy
* Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy
* Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy
* Two-photon excitation microscopy
* Ultrafast laser spectroscopy

Laser ionization|

* Above threshold ionization
* Atmospheric-pressure laser ionization
* Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization
* Resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization
* Soft laser desorption
* Surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization
* Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization

Laser fabrication|

* Laser beam welding
* Laser bonding
* Laser converting
* Laser cutting
* Laser cutting bridge
* Laser drilling
* Laser engraving
* Laser-hybrid welding
* Laser peening
* Multiphoton lithography
* Pulsed laser deposition
* Selective laser melting
* Selective laser sintering

Laser medicine|

* Computed tomography laser mammography
* IntraLASIK
* Laser capture microdissection
* Laser hair removal
* Laser lithotripsy
* Laser coagulation
* Laser scalpel
* Laser surgery
* Laser thermal keratoplasty
* LASIK
* Low level laser therapy
* Optical coherence tomography
* Photorefractive keratectomy
* Photorejuvenation
* Soft-tissue laser surgery

Laser fusion|

* Argus laser
* Cyclops laser
* GEKKO XII
* HiPER
* ISKRA lasers
* Janus laser
* Laboratory for Laser Energetics
* Laser integration line
* Laser Mégajoule
* Long path laser
* LULI2000
* Mercury laser
* National Ignition Facility
* Nike laser
* Nova (laser)
* Novette laser
* Shiva laser
* Trident laser
* Vulcan laser

Civil applications|

* 3D laser scanner
* CD
* DVD
* Laser lighting display
* Laser pointer
* Laser printer
* Laser tag

Military applications|

* Advanced Tactical Laser
* Boeing Laser Avenger
* Dazzler (weapon)
* Electrolaser
* Laser designator
* Laser guidance
* Laser-guided bomb
* Laser guns
* Laser rangefinder
* Laser warning receiver
* Laser weapon
* LLM01
* Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System
* Tactical High Energy Laser
* Tactical light
* ZEUS-HLONS (HMMWV Laser Ordnance Neutralization System)

* Category
* Commons

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