Revolution in Light Author:Irwin Stambler It was in 1960 that Dr. Theodore Maiman first operated his ruby laser, and the revolution in light was born. This exciting new discovery has developed a thousand-fold in the past decade as scientists have discovered countless new ways in which it may be used. Eye surgery, the welding of delicate electronic devices, cattle branding, meteorology... more », optical computer systems: these are a few of the many areas where lasers have found practical application. And their potential is limitless-3D movies, mass communications, air traffic control, the storing of whole books on tiny hologram cubes, preventive medicine, oceanography. Of chemical lasers Dr. Sidney Benson has written that "It is possible they could be used for drilling tunnels through solid rock, or for precision machining of large metal, plastic or ceramic objects. I can even visualize them being used for the rapid cutting of large trees in forestry operations, or perhaps for the demolition of large buildings." And one of its most important uses would be as an alternative to fossil fuel in the generation of electrical power.
This is a clearly written account of the development of lasers and an easy-to-understand explanation of the basic theory behind the way they work, and their many applications, both present and future.« less