laserlight

Laserlight generally refers to light produced by a laser, or to the light emitted by laser devices. The term is sometimes written as laser light or capitalized as a brand name (LaserLight), but in physics the phenomenon is simply laser light, not a distinct type of illumination. A laser converts electrical energy into photons through a process called stimulated emission of radiation within a gain medium.

Laser light is distinguished by coherence, narrow spectral width, high directionality, and high brightness. It is produced when a population inversion and an optical cavity enable stimulated emission in a gain medium, which can be solid-state, gas, dye, semiconductor, or fiber. Depending on the design, output can be continuous or pulsed, single-wavelength or tunable, and may span ultraviolet to infrared.

Common applications include fiber-optic communications, precision manufacturing (cutting, welding, microfabrication), medical and surgical procedures, spectroscopy and metrology, and sensing technologies such as LIDAR. The intense and focused nature of laser light enables high-resolution imaging and targeted energy delivery but also poses safety risks to eyes and skin; appropriate controls, eye protection, and adherence to safety standards are essential.

Historically, the laser emerged from mid-20th-century physics with the first working laser developed in 1960. Since then, laser light has become foundational across science and industry, with ongoing advances in materials, wavelengths, and pulsed technologies expanding its applications.