Abstract

It is being increasingly realised by many that there is much to be said for the more extensive deployment of lasers to perform a wide variety of tasks. Within the fields of science, engineering and medicine, lasers have, and still are replacing existing equipment and tools as well as, perhaps more importantly, being used to carry out unique functions that were hitherto not possible. Moreover, this evolutionary cycle has advanced a stage further with technologically mature lasers now being superseded by more contemporary lasers. This is particularly true of the contemporary diode laser.