This document provides an introduction to lasers, including:
1. Lasers emit coherent light through stimulated emission of radiation and population inversion.
2. The key properties of lasers are that the light is monochromatic, coherent, and directional.
3. The basic components of a laser are an active medium, pumping source, and optical resonator cavity.
4. Common laser types are He-Ne lasers, which use a gas mixture of helium and neon, and semiconductor diode lasers.