Charles H. Townes of coherent radiation, for which he invented the acronym "maser" (for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). When the same principle was applied to higher frequencies, the term "laser" was used (the word "light" substituting for the word "microwave"). During 1953, Townes, James P. Gordon, and H. J. Zeiger built the first ammonia maser at Columbia University. This device used stimulated emission in a stream of energized ammonia molecules to produce amplification of microwaves at a frequency of about 24.0 gigahertz. From 1959 to 1961, he was on leave of absence from Columbia University to serve as Vice President
Neutron stimulated emission computed tomography Neutron stimulated emission computed tomography Neutron stimulated emission computed tomography (NSECT) uses induced gamma emission through neutron inelastic scattering to generate images of the spatial distribution of elements in a sample. NSECT has been shown to be effective in detecting liver iron overload disorders and breast cancer. Due to its sensitivity in measuring elemental concentrations, NSECT is currently being developed for cancer staging, among other medical applications. A given atomic nucleus, defined by its proton and neutron numbers, is a quantized system with a set of characteristic higher energy levels that it can occupy as a nuclear isomer. When the