Fundamentals of Laser Technology and Its Applications

The laser is among the most important inventions of the twentieth century. Since its introduction in 1960 the laser has made possible a countless number of scientific medical industrial and commercial applications. We will start by considering how light emission can be explained using a quantum model of atomic excitation and explore various mechanisms of light emission. You will be familiar with the most important properties of laser light the main categories of lasers and the history behind the development of the laser.Finally we will provide an overview of major applications of lasers across several categories. Lasers are an important tool in a variety of research fields and they have also made possible new surgical procedures and manufacturing techniques. Lasers are all around us in laser pointers laser printers and optical disc readers you will be able to explain how lasers work and the significant ways in which they contribute to our daily lives. Visible light represents a relatively small segment of the complete electromagnetic spectrum. We will also explore how the colors that we see are caused by interactions between visible light and matter.