Timeline of United States inventions (1946–91) of the United States Geological Survey. 1960 Gas laser A gas laser is a laser in which an electric current is discharged through a gas to produce light. The first gas laser, the Helium-neon, was invented by William R. Bennett, Don Herriott, and Ali Javan in 1960. The first continuous visible gas laser, operating at 632.8 nm in the red, was invented by A. D. White and J. D. Rigden in 1962. 1961 Spreadsheet (electronic) 1961 Wearable computer 1961 Frozen carbonated beverage 1961 Biofeedback 1962 Communications satellite 1962 Chimney starter 1962 Light-emitting diode A light-emitting-diode (LED) is a semiconductor diode
Reciprocity (optoelectronic) maximized. A light emitting diode is operated at an applied forward bias (without external illumination). While a solar cell converts the energy contained in the electromagnetic waves of the incoming solar radiation into electric power (voltage x current) a light-emitting diode does the inverse, namely converting electrical power into electromagnetic radiation. A solar cell and a light emitting diode are typically made from different materials and optimized for different purposes; however, conceptually every solar cell could be operated as a light emitting diode and vice versa. Given that the operation principles have a high symmetry it is fair to assume