1960: Physicist Theodore Maiman uses a synthetic-ruby crystal to create the first laser. Maiman began tinkering with electronic devices in his teens and even earned college money repairing appliances ...

After nine months of intensive study, physicist Theodore Maiman was hoping for a flash of brilliance. It was spring 1960, and Maiman had been working with an assistant, Irnee D’Haenens, at the Hughes ...

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. This is an experimental ruby laser ...

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. This is a ruby crystal from Theodore ...

The military has been striving to build a laser powerful enough to make an effective weapon literally since the first ruby laser was demonstrated back in 1960. Now General Atomics is working with ...

The laser’s early years were full of scientific creativity, public-relations spin and intense rivalry. Pauline Rigby describes how a then little-known scientist became the first person to design and ...

IN a cavity laser system, oscillation by stimulated emission occurs when the gain is sufficient to overcome the total loss in the cavity. Cavity loss not only determines the threshold condition of ...

Dr. Theodore Maiman studies a ruby crystal in the shape of a cube in a laser. Photo courtesy Bettman/Corbis View Slideshow __1960: __Physicist Theodore Maiman uses a synthetic-ruby crystal to create ...