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The Laser Principle

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Laser Physics

Part of the book series: Graduate Texts in Physics ((GTP))

Abstract

After the investigation of the fundamental quantum-mechanical properties of absorption and emission in quantum systems, we are now able to realize and to describe a laser. The laser principle itself is already given in its arconym: LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers are thus based on the stimulated emission process that was postulated by Einstein in 1917. However, it took 43 years until the first laser, a ruby (Cr3+:Al2O3) solid-state laser, was demonstrated by Maiman in 1960.

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Eichhorn, M. (2014). The Laser Principle. In: Laser Physics. Graduate Texts in Physics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05128-4_2

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