Whereas the invention of the laser was one of the groundÂbreaking scientific achievements of the 20th century;
Whereas in 1953, Charles H. Townes, along with graduate students James Gordon and Herbert Zeiger produced the first master device, which was a precursor to the laser that relied on microwave radiation instead of visible or infrared radiation;
Whereas concurrent to Charles H. Townes' activities, Nikolay Basov and Aleksandr Prokhorov of the Soviet Union independently produced a maser with significant technical advances which allowed continuous output;
Whereas Charles H. Townes, Nikolay Basov, and Aleksandr Prokhorov shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics for their fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics
, which led to the construction of masers, and subsequently lasers;
Whereas in 1960, Theodore H. Maiman constructed the first functioning laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California, and the laser was first operated on May 16, 1960;
Whereas Theodore H. Maiman was the recipient of the 1983/1984 Wolf Prize in Physics for his realization of the first operating laser;
Whereas since being created in 1960, lasers have become an integral and essential part of our daily lives. Lasers can be found in a wide range of applications including in compact disc players, laser printers, barcode scanners, digital video devices (DVDs), industrial welders, and surgical apparatus, amongst others;
Whereas total global sales of lasers in 2010 is expected to top 5.9 billion dollars;
Whereas innovations flowing from basic research such as the laser have made America into the world leader in technology development;
Whereas continued support of scientific research programs is indispensible to maintaining America's position as the global leader in technology and innovation; and
Whereas LaserFest is a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary intended to bring public awareness to the story of the laser and scientific achievement generally, and was founded by the following partners: the Optical Society of America, the American Physical Society, the International Society for Optical Engineering, and IEEE: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)recognizes the 50th anniversary of the laser; and
(2)recognizes the need for continued support of scientific research to maintain America's future competitiveness.
Lorraine C. Miller,Clerk.