Fundamentals of Laser Optics

The laser, initially called the "optical maser," was proposed in 1958 by Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow; in 1960, Theodore Maiman was the first among several researchers to achieve laser oscillation by using a ruby crystal. In the following quarter of a century, a considerable amount of research and development has taken place, and the laser is now utilized for many diverse applications, ranging from the commonplace compact disk to intricate surgical applications in medicine. Since I fi...