Properties of Laser Beams

In Chapter 1 it was stated that the most characteristic properties of laser beams are (i) monochromaticity, (ii) coherence (spatial and temporal), (iii) directionality, (iv) brightness. The material presented in earlier chapters allows us to now examine these properties in more detail and compare them with the properties of conventional light sources (thermal sources). The discussion presented in this chapter is essential for an understanding of the application possibilities of laser beams (Chapter 9).