Lecture2:IntroductiontoLaserLightSourceLASER:LightAmplificationbyStimulatedEmissionofRadiationExperimentwithalaserPropertiesofLaserPropertiesofLaserPropertiesofLaserCoherence:LaserlightCannot:beperfectlymonochromaticbeperfectlydirectionalperfectcoherentPropertiesofLaserLaserlightCannot:beperfectlymonochromaticbeperfectlydirectionalbeperfectcoherentHowever,laserlightisfarmorecoherentthanlightfromanyothersource
HistoryoftheLaser•Inventedin1958byCharlesTownes(NobelprizeinPhysics1964)andArthurSchawlowofBellLaboratories•WasbasedonEinstein’sideaofthe“particle-waveduality”oflight,morethan30yearsearlier•OriginallycalledMASER(m=“microwave”)HistoryoftheLaserThefirstpatent(1958)MASER=MicrowaveAmplificationbyStimulatedEmissionofRadiationTheMASERissimilartotheLASERbutproducedonlymicrowavesThewave-parti