ABSTRACT

Since laser oscillation was first obtained using a ruby crystal, and the ruby laser was developed in 1960, many different lasers have been developed, with wavelengths covering a very wide range, based on a variety of different materials. This section contains a brief summary of important background information about lasers, and also an overview of laser systems that are commercially produced. Because many types of lasers now are commercially available, it is rarely necessary for a user to build a laser system. However, in order to understand and use laser sources, a certain basic amount of knowledge is useful [1-4].