how was the first laser created?

Question: how was the first laser created?
- Keywords:
  first laser,
  laser
Asked by Rebecca to Ian on 16 Mar 2015.
- Ian Sandal answered on 16 Mar 2015:
  
  The first laser was developed by a man called Charles Townes in the 1950s. It actually didn’t generate light but made microwaves (another part of the electromagnetic spectrum) so it was called a maser.
  
  It worked by using a ruby to produce the microwave beam, this was done by wrapping a spiral bulb around it. This gave of white light which was absorbed by the ruby and the energy was converted into the emitted microwaves.
  
  This early design was very in efficient, but it did work and was the start of laser research.

Rebecca commented on 17 Mar 2015:

ok that was very interesting to read. it taught me alot about how the laser was created and when and also about microwaves.

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Question: how was the first laser created?