Bell Laboratories Helium-Neon Gaseous Optical Maser, 1963

This is a demonstration device to promote the helium-neon gaseous optical maser. "Maser" was an early term used by Bell Laboratories, who were interested in the device's communication potential; "laser" predominated in the end. Presented to the museum at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' meeting of 1963, this is one of the few maser demonstration versions ever made.