Lasers come in many shapes and sizes, and perform a myriad of
functions ranging from surgery to video recording. In this
document, we'll explain how laser light is produced, why it's so
useful, and some of its most common applications. 1917, Albert
Einstein introduced the field of physics to the concept of the
laser, which stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated
Emission of Radiation. What's So Special About Laser Light?
Laser light has several properties that, together, make lasers
useful. Laser Light is Highly Monochromatic Light from the sun,
or a light bulb, is generally seen as "white", and contains many
wavelengths of light (seen as different colors when white light
is put through a prism). Laser light, on the other hand, is
generally monochromatic, meaning that it contains one specific
wavelength of light. This wavelength of light can be seen as one
single, intense color (red, blue, green, or yellow, etc.,
depending on the laser) or invisible (ultraviolet or infrared).
Lasers can, and do, prod