Nick Holonyak, Jr. demonstrated the first semiconductor laser with a visible (VIS) emission in 1962, the same year when R.N Hall demonstrated his laser diode in infrared (IR) region. This first semiconductor laser could only be used in pulsed-beam operation, and when cooled to liquid nitrogen temperatures (77 K). Pulsed Semiconductor lasers are particularly attractive in optical spectroscopy, optical sampling and telecommunications. Pulsed semiconductor lasers in the near IR (NIR) are commonly used for long distance time-of-flight or phase-shift range finding systems.