May 16th 2020 is the 60th anniversary of the first functional laser by Theodore H. Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories, Malibu, California. Maiman's functional laser used a flashlamp-pumped synthetic ruby crystal to produce red laser light at 694 nanometers wavelength. 

Since the early period of laser history, laser research has produced a variety of improved and specialized laser types, finding utility in thousands of highly varied applications in every section of modern society, including consumer electronics, information technology, science, medicine, industry, law enforcement, entertainment, and the military. Fiber-optic communication using lasers is a key technology in modern communications, allowing services such as the Internet.

View the full list of titles in our Laser 60th Anniversary books collection