The first demonstration of laser action in ruby was made in 1960 by T. H. Maiman of Hughes Research Laboratories, USA. Many laboratories worldwide began the search for lasers using different materials, operating at different wavelengths. In the UK, academia, industry and the central laboratories took up the challenge from the earliest days to develop these systems for a broad range of applications. This historical review looks at the contribution the UK has made to the advancement of the technology, the development of systems and components and their exploitation over the last 60 years.

The magnetic properties of MnZn-ferrite are greatly affected by the distribution and valence state of the magnetic and nonmagnetic metallic ions on the tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites in the spinel ferrite unit cell. A primary factor which can affect the distribution and valence state of the metallic ions is the stoichiometry of the ferrite. In this paper we report on the results of the site occupancy of the transition metal ions in a series of MnZn-ferrite films using extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The EXAFS data are correlated with the film composition and those magnetic properties which are sensitive to the ionic distribution (e.g., magnetic anisotropy field and magnetization) in order to confirm the use of EXAFS as a technique for the investigation of metallic ion distribution in spinel ferrites.

The following short disquisition endeavours to show that, taking them all in all, the Chronicles of the ‘Southern’ Buddhists are, on the whole, sufficiently consistent to justify historical conclusions being deduced from their evidence. It is, of course, quite palpable that the earlier part of the Chronicles is inserted to furnish an historical prelude to the appearance of Mahinda, the principal actor in the conversion of Ceylon; but in spite of the great temptation to exaggeration and overstatement, the ancient authors of the Chronicles have done their work conscientiously, if not critically. Putting aside the mythological elements, which are always easily detected and may be as easily discounted, it may be said that in matters of historical detail they are surprisingly accurate, and have shown a power of restraint which does them credit when we compare their sober statements with the hyperbolic annals of the Puranic school of mythologizing historians.