What device, developed by Charles Townes and colleagues, was the immediate precursor to the optical maser (laser)?

Answer

maser (microwave equivalent)

The immediate technological predecessor to the optical maser, which was later dubbed the laser, was the maser itself. Charles Townes and his colleagues were instrumental in developing this device, which achieved amplification through stimulated emission but operated in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum rather than the optical spectrum. The development of the maser provided crucial, practical experience in handling stimulated emission and establishing population inversions within a resonant cavity. When Townes and Schawlow published their proposal for an optical resonator design in 1958, they were directly extending the proven concept of the microwave maser into the light frequency range.

What device, developed by Charles Townes and colleagues, was the immediate precursor to the optical maser (laser)?

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The world's first laser was successfully operated by Theodore Maiman

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