Schröter, Jens2023-01-262023-01-262022https://necsus-ejms.org/the-laser-on-the-quantum-materiality-of-media-in-thetwentieth- century/https://mediarep.org/handle/doc/20362The question of the materiality of the media of the second half of the twentieth century cannot be answered without recourse to the role of quantum mechanics. Nearly all media technologies since 1945 presuppose quantum mechanics in one way or the other. The laser is especially important – this kind of coherent light, produced by stimulated emission is central to a huge plethora of very different, analog or digital, visual, audiovisual or auditory media technologies. In contrast to the role of quantum mechanics and especially the laser, the difference of analog and digital seems secondary.engCreative Commons Attribution Non Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Genericmaterialitymediaquantum mechanicslaser79130010.25969/mediarep/191912213-0217