Laser Diodes
1958 - Basic principles of Light Amplification through Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER) described by A. Shawlow and C. H. Townes
1962 - Semiconductor laser diode demonstrated. Made possible use of a small electrically driven device with intense optical emission at one wavelength to transmit information
1970 - CW laser diode operation at ??= 850 nm wavelength
1979 - CW laser diode operation at ??= 1550 nm wavelength
Telephone companies typically use laser diodes operating at ??= 1550 nm wavelength (low transmission loss in standard glass fiber) or ??= 1310 nm wavelength (zero chromatic dispersion in standard glass fiber)
Local Area Networks will increasingly use inexpensive Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) diodes with ??= 850 nm (ATM Forum standard)