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Explore the step-by-step construction of a laser in this 57-minute Christmas lecture from The Royal Institution. Learn how to amplify light through stimulated emission of radiation as David Phillips demonstrates the assembly process by reconstructing Theodore Maiman's groundbreaking 1960 ruby laser experiment. Discover the key components including a photographer's flash tube and chromium-doped aluminum oxide rod, and understand the fundamental requirement for "lasing action" through population inversion of excited states. Examine various laser types operating across ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectrums, and witness demonstrations of their unique properties including ultra-short pulse generation, exceptional color purity, polarization characteristics, and coherence. Investigate gas-phase lasers and their spectacular capabilities while gaining insight into how laser light emerges as narrow, intense, parallel beams from optical cavities. This lecture forms part of a comprehensive six-part series exploring crystals and lasers, their scientific foundations, and their crucial roles in modern materials design, communications, medicine, environmental science, and energy research.
