An Introduction to the Einstein's A and B Numbers and the Physics of Lasers (Elements of Quantum Physics Book 4)

There is no better way to learn Quantum Physics than through the words of the very people who developed the important concepts in Quantum Physics. This is the pedagogy at the heart of the Elements of Quantum Physics series.

What better place to continue the Elements of Quantum Physics series than with theory of the Quanta of Radiation, Einstein’s A and B Numbers and the Physics of Lasers.

Each volume in this series will feature the work of Quantum Physicists in their own words, and those of their contemporaries. If you are comfortable with high school math and science you will find this series both instructive and interesting. In this volume you will find writing by Albert Einstein, Charles Townes, N. G. Basov and Richard Feynman..

As outlined, this Volume Four of the Elements of Quantum Physics is about the Einstein’s A and B Numbers and the physics of lasers and includes excerpts from the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics Address given by Charles Townes on masers and lasers and N. G. Basov on semiconductor lasers.
Two of the most remarkable scientific discoveries of the 20th century were the maser and the laser.

In the 1950’s the Maser was developed first and opened a new technology to widespread use. Maser means Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Long distance microwave communications became possible as well as significant improvements to radar technology.

In the 1960’s the first laser was developed. Laser means Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The theory of the laser, based on advances in Maser development was set down in a number of papers in the later 1950’s including a paper written in 1958 by Arthur Schawlow and Charles Townes (this paper is included as an appendix to this book).

Within a few years lasers had became a source of popular interest, appearing in the Ian Fleming film Goldfinger in 1964, the same year that the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for its development to Basov, Prokhorov and Townes.

Lasers are now used extensively in industry to cut and weld, in medicine for re-attach damaged retinas, and for accurate ranging. There are lasers in CD and DVD players, and they form the heart of fibre optics technology.