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
Sound amplification by stimulated emission of radiation a p-n transition. It has been mentioned that a quantum well is basically a potential well that confines particles to move in two dimensions instead of three, forcing them to occupy a planar region. In coupled quantum wells there are two possible ways for electrons and holes to be bound into an exciton: indirect exciton and direct exciton. In indirect exciton, electrons and holes are in different quantum wells, in contrast with direct exciton where electrons and holes are located in the same well. In a case where the quantum wells are identical, both levels have a two-fold degeneracy. Direct