Maiman used a solid - state light - pumped synthetic ruby to produce red laser light at a wavelength of 694 nanometers ( nm ) .
The first working laser was made by Theodore H. Maiman in 1960 .
Theodore H. Maiman used a solid - state light - pumped synthetic ruby to produce red laser light at a wavelength of 694 nanometers ( nm ) .
The first working laser was made by Theodore H. Maiman in 1960 .