Inventors: Ali Javan

The gas laser is an important technological invention and has numerous uses. It was invented December 12, 1960 by Ali Javan.  It used helium and neon gas to produce a continuous beam of a pure color of light.  The waves were lined up, which served to amplify the power of the beam.  The optically pumped laser was invented previously but its capabilities are different.  The optically pumped laser uses an intense light source to create short bursts of laser light rather than a continuous beam.
The gas laser is used in communication to transmit vast amounts of information through fiber optic cables.  There are also a number of military applications as well such as in laser guidance systems for bombs.  Gas lasers are important for manufacturing because they can produce minute cuts and can weld small pieces of metal.  They are an important part of our everyday lives as well, with such uses as the barcode scanner in stores and the reader in CD and DVD players.

*Pictures from http://www.farhangsara.com/laser.htm

Sources:
Farhangsara. Gas Laser. 13 October 2003. <http://www.farhangsara.com/
laser.htm> (primary)

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