Tumoricidal effect of laser energy on experimental and human malignant tumors.

Abstract

LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Amplification itself may be characterized as a controlled release of stored energy. Townes and Schawlow developed the theory of the optical maser or laser in 1958. T. H. Maiman, in May, 1960, built the first operational solid-state laser utilizing a synthetic ruby crystal. As a first step in ruby laser operation, capacitor banks are charged with electric energy to provide an intense, brief light flash from powerful xenon-arc lamps. Trivalent chromium atoms in the ruby crystal whose end faces have been highly silvered, absorb and reradiate energy . . .