Celebrating 65 Years of Laser Technology
In 2025, we celebrate 65 years since the invention of the first laser. For some, it may be surprising that lasers have been around for so long, but in fact, their history started long before. In celebration of laser technology and all the innovations it has brought, we’re taking a look at the history of lasers, from the initial theory behind them to their many uses today.
So, let’s start at the beginning.
The Theory Behind Lasers
While most of us aren’t familiar with the history of laser technology, you will likely have heard of the man behind the initial theory behind them: Albert Einstein. Arguably the most famous scientific mind in recent history, Einstein is well known for his theories of Special and General Relativity and the mass-energy equivalence formula E=mc².
But Einstein was also the first person to predict the phenomenon of stimulated emission, the foundation for laser technology way back in 1917.
Stimulated emission is the process by which an incoming photon induces an excited atom to emit a second photon that is identical in energy, phase, direction and polarisation to the first. Or tp upt it simply, when light hits an excited atom, causing it to give off another light wave that looks and behaves in exactly the same way.
Of course, this isn’t enough to explain laser technology alone. But it would be decades before the next significant step in the invention of lasers.
The Discovery of the “Maser”
In the late 1940s and 1950s, Charles H. Townes and Arthur Schawlow built on the theory of stimulated emission, eventually constructing a device that could generate and amplify microwaves. They called the device the “Maser”, an acronym for microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
Masers continue to be used as highly sensitive, low-noise amplifiers in applications such as deep-space communication and radio astronomy. This development indicated that amplification by stimulated emission of radiation should also be possible for light waves. And this would soon be put to the test.
Introducing the First Laser
In 1960, the first laser was created. Consisting of a flash lamp, a synthetically manufactured ruby doped with chromium and a metal sleeve, the invention was crafted by physicist Theodore Maiman.
But despite what we now know to be a monumental development in technology, Maiman’s discovery was initially overlooked, with the journal Physical Review Letters refusing to publish his paper on the subject. Thankfully, the paper was accepted by Nature, and its publication gained significant attention in the scientific world and beyond.
In the years that followed, the significance of Maiman’s discovery became clear and the laser was utilised in a huge number of ways. Its use was particularly influential in medicine, but their use was soon commonplace in a huge range of settings, from clinics to supermarkets.
So, let’s take a look at some of the uses for lasers that many of us take for granted today.
Data and Communications
Lasers allow the transmission and reception of high volumes of data which can be sent over optical fibres. This offered significant advantages over traditional radio waves, allowing for greater data transmission rates, enhance security, and improved efficiency. The invention of lasers also led to the development of innovative data storage products like CDs and DVDs.
Today, lasers remain essential for many day-to-day communications, from phone calls to scanning barcodes at your supermarket checkout!
Manufacturing
High-powered lasers are used in a range of industrial and manufacturing settings. They can be used to cut, weld, drill, and engrave a huge range of materials, including glass, metals, and ceramics. Lasers are also utilised for non-contact cleaning, enabling the removal of unwanted coatings such as rust without the risk of damaging delicate surfaces, making them invaluable in settings such as art restoration.
Medical Applications
It didn’t take long from the discovery of the first laser to its utilisation in medical settings. Today, a huge number of procedures and medical technology relies on lasers. They are used in dermatology to reduce the appearance of scars and wrinkles and removing hair and tattoos. Lasers can also be used to treat irregular heart rhythms by destroying abnormal heart tissue.
Lasers in Ophthalmology
Arguably one of the most impressive uses for lasers lies in the ophthalmological field. Lasers present a high-precision alternative to traditional scalpels and allow the safe and efficient removal of tissue. This offers significant safety advantages over traditional techniques. As such, laser technology has become commonplace in refractive surgeries, including LASIK, ReLEx SMILE, and Cataract Surgery.
Lasers were first utilised in refractive surgery with the invention of the excimer laser. The technology was first used in a procedure called photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in 1987, allowing for corneal tissue to be removed from the eye, reshaping the cornea and adjusting the way light is directed at the cornea. A few years later, the introduction of the femtosecond laser meant that Laser Eye Surgery could go bladeless (prior to this, a microkeratome was used to access the corneal tissue that was to be removed).
In procedures like LASIK and ReLEx SMILE, a femtosecond laser is used to create a corneal flap or keyhole incision in the surface of the cornea. This provides improved safety and recovery times compared to the earlier Laser Eye Surgery procedures.
Technology at London Vision Clinic
At London Vision Clinic, we not only have access to the latest Laser Eye Surgery technology, including state-of-the-art lasers and scanners, but we also help to develop it. This allows us to offer a wider range of treatments and treat a wider range of prescriptions than many other Laser Eye Surgery providers.
If you’d like to learn more about the treatments available at our Harley Street clinic, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today.
