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What Are Light Waves From a Laser?

Laser light is unique in that it does not appear in the natural universe (as far as we know,) and only humans can produce it with technology. Laser light waves have four characteristics that make them unique from ordinary light waves. These characteristics allow laser light to be focused into one point. This is useful in a variety of applications such as surgery, on space missions, welding and reading barcodes or fingerprints. Before getting into what light waves are from a laser, it is helpful to understand some properties of ordinary light.

Ordinary Light
- Light waves from ordinary light are comprised of many wavelengths and all colors from the color spectrum. When these different wavelengths and colors all blend together, the resulting light waves emit a white light. The makeup of laser light, however, is different.
Monochromatic
- Light waves from lasers are engineered to produce just one wavelength and color. This means the lasers are monochromatic, or one color.
Coherent
- Laser light is said to be "coherent." With ordinary light, its wavelengths are produced in phases, and the result is wavelengths of different sizes. With a laser light, the wave crests and troughs are exactly the same; each waves looks identical.
Collimated
- Light waves from lasers are also collimated. Light waves emitted from an ordinary light will spread out in every direction such as when you turn on a flashlight. Laser light waves, however, do not. Instead, light waves are parallel and travel straight out in the same direction. It is this very property that allows a surgeon to focus a precision laser light to perform surgery.
Orderly
- Laser light is orderly. This means the light can be controlled very easily. It is this control, along with the immense amount of energy a laser can transform at once, that allows us to use it for a wide variety of applications.

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