Lasers are items that we can find common, but it wasn’t that long ago that it wasn’t science; it was a matter of being science fiction. Laser is an acronym that stands for Light Amplification by Emission of Radiation Stimulation. It was first theorized in 1917 by Albert Einstein, who thought the process for making lasers was possible, although not everyone thought it would be possible at the time. However, it was not until 1954 that the first tool that came close to being a laser appeared.

In 1954, two men named Arthur Schalow and Charles Townes invented a product that became known as the maser. It was similar to a laser, but instead of using light amplification, it used microwave amplification. Microwave radiation and ammonia gas were used with this particular tool and it was a tool that existed before the optical laser existed. Although very similar, the maser differed in that no visible light was used in the product. A patent was granted to those two individuals in 1959 for that product.

In 1958, those same two individuals published articles about an item similar to the maser, although it was to use a visible light. However, they did not continue the development of the laser at that time, but it was developed in 1960 and known as the Ruby laser. Many people credit Gordon Gould, a Columbia University student, as the developer of the actual laser and was the first person to use the term. The helium neon laser was later developed in the 1960s and became the first laser to use continuous light in operation.

Since those early years of laser tools, there have been many developments that help make them more practical for use in our modern society. For example, many different industries use a variety of laser tools to get jobs done more accurately and quickly. An example of this is laser measurement tools found in many industries. Not only do they allow for faster measurements, but they also allow for measurements that are highly accurate compared to the older tools that were available. This is something to keep in mind as it can certainly make a difference in how many products we use that are designed and developed.

We also use lasers in our daily lives, including in our homes in many cases. For example, if you watch movies or listen to music on CD or DVD players, a laser is used, both in the development of those products and in the way they are used within the home. In the medical profession, it is used in various ways that also benefit us. For example, laser eye surgery is something many people do to correct their vision, and other forms of laser surgery are also used regularly. Although there are changes in the way lasers are used, it has certainly improved our lives in many ways.