Colin N. Danson1、2、3, Malcolm White4、5、6, John R. M. Barr7, Thomas Bett8, Peter Blyth9、10、11、12, David Bowley13, Ceri Brenner14, Robert J. Collins15, Neal Croxford16, A. E. Bucker Dangor17, Laurence Devereux18, Peter E. Dyer19, Anthony Dymoke-Bradshaw20, Christopher B. Edwards1、14, Paul Ewart21, Allister I. Ferguson22, John M. Girkin23, Denis R. Hall24, David C. Hanna25, Wayne Harris26, David I. Hillier1, Christopher J. Hooker14, Simon M. Hooker21, Nicholas Hopps1、17, Janet Hull27, David Hunt8, Dino A. Jaroszynski28, Mark Kempenaars29, Helmut Kessler30, Sir Peter L. Knight17, Steve Knight31, Adrian Knowles32, Ciaran L. S. Lewis33, Ken S. Lipton34, Abby Littlechild35, John Littlechild35, Peter Maggs36, Graeme P. A. Malcolm37, Stuart P. D. Mangles17, William Martin38, Paul McKenna28, Richard O. Moore1, Clive Morrison39, Zulfikar Najmudin17, David Neely14、28, Geoff H. C. New17, Michael J. Norman8, Ted Paine31, Anthony W. Parker14, Rory R. Penman1、*, Geoff J. Pert40, Chris Pietraszewski41, Andrew Randewich1, Nadeem H. Rizvi42, Nigel Seddon43, Zheng-Ming Sheng28、44, David Slater45, Roland A. Smith17, Christopher Spindloe14, Roy Taylor17, Gary Thomas46, John W. G. Tisch17, Justin S. Wark2、21, Colin Webb21, S. Mark Wiggins28, Dave Willford47, and Trevor Winstone14
Author Affiliations
1AWE Aldermaston, Reading, UK2Oxford Centre for High Energy Density Science, Department of Physics, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK3Centre for Intertial Fusion Studies, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK4Formerly of Electrox, Letchworth, UK5Formerly of Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Laboratory, Didcot, UK6Formerly of Ferranti Defence Systems, Lincoln, UK7Leonardo, Edinburgh, UK8Retired, AWE, Reading, UK9Formerly of AWE, Reading, UK10Formerly of Laser Lines Ltd, Banbury, UK11Formerly of Optilas Ltd, Milton Keynes, UK12Retired, Pro-Lite Technology, Cranfield, UK13Specialised Imaging Ltd, Pitstone, UK14Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, UK15Magna-Power Electronics Ltd, Reading, UK16DeBe Lasers, Needham Laser Technologies, Whitchurch, UK17Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK18SPIE Europe, Cardiff, UK19Professor Emeritus (Physics), University of Hull, Kingston upon Hull, UK20Kentech Instruments Ltd, Wallingford, UK21Department of Physics, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK22Professor Emeritus, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK23Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham, UK24Professor Emeritus (Photonics), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK25Professor Emeritus, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK26Optical Surfaces Ltd, Kenley, UK27JEH Lasers Ltd, Rugby, UK28Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK29ITER Organization, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France30Manx Precision Optics Ltd, Ballasalla, UK31Laser Lines Ltd, Banbury, UK32Elliot Scientific Ltd, MetroTest Scientific Group, Harpenden, UK33Centre for Plasma Physics, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK34Retired, Founder, and former MD, Rofin-Sinar UK Ltd, Hull, UK35Heraeus Noblelight Ltd, Cambridge, UK36Mirli Books, Chelmsford, UK37M Squared Lasers Ltd, Glasgow, UK38University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK39E&EO UK Ltd, Barton-upon-Humber, UK40Department of Physics, University of York, York, UK41IC Optical Systems Ltd, Beckenham, UK42Laser Micromachining Ltd, St Asaph, UK43MBDA UK Ltd, Bristol, UK44Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China45Photek Ltd, St Leonards-on-Sea, UK46Island Optics Ltd, Ballasalla, UK47Retired, Lincoln, UKshow less
DOI: 10.1017/hpl.2021.5
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Colin N. Danson, Malcolm White, John R. M. Barr, Thomas Bett, Peter Blyth, David Bowley, Ceri Brenner, Robert J. Collins, Neal Croxford, A. E. Bucker Dangor, Laurence Devereux, Peter E. Dyer, Anthony Dymoke-Bradshaw, Christopher B. Edwards, Paul Ewart, Allister I. Ferguson, John M. Girkin, Denis R. Hall, David C. Hanna, Wayne Harris, David I. Hillier, Christopher J. Hooker, Simon M. Hooker, Nicholas Hopps, Janet Hull, David Hunt, Dino A. Jaroszynski, Mark Kempenaars, Helmut Kessler, Sir Peter L. Knight, Steve Knight, Adrian Knowles, Ciaran L. S. Lewis, Ken S. Lipton, Abby Littlechild, John Littlechild, Peter Maggs, Graeme P. A. Malcolm, Stuart P. D. Mangles, William Martin, Paul McKenna, Richard O. Moore, Clive Morrison, Zulfikar Najmudin, David Neely, Geoff H. C. New, Michael J. Norman, Ted Paine, Anthony W. Parker, Rory R. Penman, Geoff J. Pert, Chris Pietraszewski, Andrew Randewich, Nadeem H. Rizvi, Nigel Seddon, Zheng-Ming Sheng, David Slater, Roland A. Smith, Christopher Spindloe, Roy Taylor, Gary Thomas, John W. G. Tisch, Justin S. Wark, Colin Webb, S. Mark Wiggins, Dave Willford, Trevor Winstone. A history of high-power laser research and development in the United Kingdom[J]. High Power Laser Science and Engineering, 2021, 9(2): 02000e18
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Abstract
The first demonstration of laser action in ruby was made in 1960 by T. H. Maiman of Hughes Research Laboratories, USA. Many laboratories worldwide began the search for lasers using different materials, operating at different wavelengths. In the UK, academia, industry and the central laboratories took up the challenge from the earliest days to develop these systems for a broad range of applications. This historical review looks at the contribution the UK has made to the advancement of the technology, the development of systems and components and their exploitation over the last 60 years.
