Bill shows how the three key characteristics of laser light - single
wavelength, narrow beam, and high intensity - are made. He explains the
operation of a ruby laser - the first laser ever made - showing how
electronic transitions create stimulated emission to give coherent
light, and then how the ends of the ruby cavity create a narrow
wavelength highly collimated beam
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sxSd_5zXUao6WsTOLBseLyzc0bXE2tkrjTsfvRP4wuYxOI7z2LR7pkDTRhglrPex5Xoo4ow9l_pDnAiZYm2lbsTF7dS7WcdNvsai_zva3d_uI=s0-d)