Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Pre-1960s

NIST scientist Charlotte Moore Sitterly

NIST scientist Charlotte Moore Sitterly

Credit: NIST

1949-1958—NIST compilations of authenticated and verified spectroscopy data, published in three volumes titled Atomic Energy Levels, were highly influential in the development of gas lasers. Laser pioneers Arthur Schawlow and Charles Townes credited the data, compiled by NIST scientist Charlotte Moore, with helping them to select suitable materials to build lasers of various types. "The [NIST] tables have been, and are continuing to be, essential tools in the search for new laser materials and new wavelengths," Schawlow wrote in 1971. In all, the NIST volumes have been cited by others about 13,000 times, more than enough to be considered "citation classics."

Created June 1, 2010, Updated September 21, 2016