The laser beam was discovered in 1960. The term laser is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." Lasers are a form of artificial light with uniform direction, phase and wavelength, and they are produced by precisely controlling the excited and ground states of electrons. Unlike other forms of light that do not have uniform wavelength and phase, lasers can create intense light spots from faint light sources and are thus one of the most important forms of artificial light. Lasers are currently used in all manner of applications, from the more obvious CD-ROM drives, fiber optics and other industrial products, to others such as the medical field and entertainment.