optics / Physics / Quantum Mechanics / etc.

How Things Work: Lasers

You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frikkin laser beams attached to their heads! ~Dr. Evil Always look on the bright side …unless you’re holding a laser pointing device. ~Unknown The laser is, without a doubt, one of the most ubiquitous, archetypal technologies of modern times. And it is one of the most direct applications of quantum mechanics.  But how do lasers work? It All Starts In The Atom The story starts deep within the atom. I’ve previously discuss the fact that particles are waves and that this forces electrons to have