Laser - definition
Laser - definition
Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is a device that emits electromagnetic radiation—typically in the visible, infrared, or ultraviolet range—with a very high degree of temporal and spatial coherence. Its operation is based on the phenomenon of stimulated emission, in which photons striking excited atoms or molecules induce their de-excitation and the emission of additional photons that are identical in phase, direction, frequency, and polarization. This process results in a beam of light with unique properties not found in traditional light sources.
A basic laser system consists of an active medium where radiation emission occurs, an energy source (pump) to excite the medium, and an optical resonator that enables multiple reflections and amplification of the radiation. The active medium can be a solid, gas, liquid, or semiconductor, which determines the characteristics of the generated beam. A necessary condition for laser operation is population inversion, a state in which more atoms are in an excited state than in the ground state.
Laser beams possess properties such as high intensity, narrow spectral bandwidth, low beam divergence, and the ability to be tightly focused, which makes them applicable in a wide range of scientific and technical fields. In electronics and industry, lasers are used for precision cutting, marking, welding, and material processing. In telecommunications, they serve as light sources in fiber-optic systems. In medicine, lasers are applied in diagnostics, surgery, and therapy, while in natural sciences they are used in spectroscopy, holography, and distance measurements.
Laser applications rely on the ability to precisely control radiation parameters, and technological advancements have led to the development of various types of lasers differing in wavelength, power, and operating mode—from pulsed to continuous-wave and ultrashort-pulse lasers.
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