On the 60th anniversary of Nobel Prize for discovery of laser-maser principle

The paper describes a brief history of the 1964 Nobel Prize received by N G Basov, A M Prokhorov, and Charles Townes for “fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics, which has led to the construction of oscillators and amplifiers based on the maser-laser principle.” The role of domestic scientists in the advent of new areas of physics and industrial and medical technologies based on the use of lasers is emphasized.