Radiation. The concept consists of an excited state atom encountering a photon of the

same energy that corresponds to the DE between the excited and ground states of the

atom. When such a photon is encountered, it causes the emission of another photon of the

same energy. Albert Einstein first suggested this phenomenon in a 1916 paper proving

Plank's law of radiation. The idea but it was considered odd and the event of photon

interaction with an excited state atom rare. Only much later did scientists begin to create

inverted populations with more atoms in the excited state than the ground state so that

absorption would not dominate the process and stimulated emission could occur.

In 1954, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow invented the microwave

amplification by stimulated emission of radiation by using ammonia gas and microwave

radiation - the maser was invented before the optical laser. The technology is very close

In 1958, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow thought about a visible laser, an

invention that would use infrared or visible spectrum light.

Radiation. The concept consists of an excited state atom encountering a photon of the

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Ali Javan, NASA LADARVision, Situ Keratomileusis, Gordon Gould, Albert Einstein, Arthur Schawlow, Emission Radiation, Theodore Maiman, Prior LASIK, Gordon Gould's, gordon gould, optical laser, stimulated emission, charles townes, theodore maiman invented, theodore maiman, invented optical, laser technology, arthur schawlow, charles townes arthur, lasik procedure, amplification stimulated emission, light laser, townes arthur schawlow, stimulated emission radiation,