Theodore Harold Maiman
Encyclopedia
Theodore Harold "Ted" Maiman (July 11, 1927 – May 5, 2007) was an American physicist
who made the first LASER
(Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). Maiman received many awards and honors for his work, and was the author of a book titled The Laser Odyssey, which describes the events surrounding the creation of the first laser.
and received a B.S.
in engineering physics in 1949 then went on to do graduate work at Stanford University
, where he received an M.S.
in electrical engineering in 1951 and a Ph.D.
in physics in 1955. His doctoral thesis in experimental physics, taken under the direction of Willis Lamb
, involved detailed microwave
-optical measurements of fine structure splittings in excited helium atoms.
Maiman's ruby LASER
, based on a synthetic ruby
crystal grown by Dr. Ralph L. Hutcheson, was first operated on May 16, 1960 at Hughes Research Laboratories
in Malibu, California.
After leaving Hughes, Maiman joined Quantatron where he was in charge of LASER activities. In 1962, Maiman became president of the newly formed Korad Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Carbide, which bought the LASER assets owned by Quantatron. Korad was devoted to the research, development, and manufacture of LASERs. All minority owned stock of Korad Corporation was exchanged for Union Carbide stock during the first five years. Not wishing to continue working for Union Carbide, Maiman formed Maiman Associates in 1968.
Due to his work on the LASER, he was twice nominated for a Nobel Prize
and was given membership in both the National Academies of Science and Engineering
. He received the Oliver E. Buckley Prize
in 1966. He was the recipient of the 1983/84 Wolf Prize in Physics
, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
that same year. Besides, he received F&J. Hertz and Japan Prize
s. Many universities awarded him honorary degrees. Maiman received his last honorary degree in 2002 from Simon Fraser University
, Vancouver, Canada. Maiman's laser was named an IEEE Milestone in 2010.
Maiman died from systemic mastocytosis on May 5, 2007 in Vancouver, Canada, where he lived with his wife Kathleen.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
who made the first LASER
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
(Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). Maiman received many awards and honors for his work, and was the author of a book titled The Laser Odyssey, which describes the events surrounding the creation of the first laser.
Biography
Theodore Harold Maiman was born in Los Angeles, California, where in his teens, he earned money for college by repairing electrical appliances and radios. He attended the University of ColoradoUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
and received a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in engineering physics in 1949 then went on to do graduate work at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where he received an M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in electrical engineering in 1951 and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in physics in 1955. His doctoral thesis in experimental physics, taken under the direction of Willis Lamb
Willis Lamb
Willis Eugene Lamb, Jr. was an American physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1955 together with Polykarp Kusch "for his discoveries concerning the fine structure of the hydrogen spectrum". Lamb and Kusch were able to precisely determine certain electromagnetic properties of the electron...
, involved detailed microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
-optical measurements of fine structure splittings in excited helium atoms.
Maiman's ruby LASER
Ruby laser
A ruby laser is a solid-state laser that uses a synthetic ruby crystal as its gain medium. The first working laser was a ruby laser made by Theodore H. "Ted" Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories on May 16, 1960....
, based on a synthetic ruby
Ruby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
crystal grown by Dr. Ralph L. Hutcheson, was first operated on May 16, 1960 at Hughes Research Laboratories
Hughes Research Laboratories
HRL Laboratories , was the research arm of the Hughes Aircraft Company. Its dedicated research center was established in 1960 in Malibu...
in Malibu, California.
After leaving Hughes, Maiman joined Quantatron where he was in charge of LASER activities. In 1962, Maiman became president of the newly formed Korad Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Carbide, which bought the LASER assets owned by Quantatron. Korad was devoted to the research, development, and manufacture of LASERs. All minority owned stock of Korad Corporation was exchanged for Union Carbide stock during the first five years. Not wishing to continue working for Union Carbide, Maiman formed Maiman Associates in 1968.
Due to his work on the LASER, he was twice nominated for a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
and was given membership in both the National Academies of Science and Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
. He received the Oliver E. Buckley Prize
Buckley Prize
The Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize is an annual award given by the American Physical Society "to recognize and encourage outstanding theoretical or experimental contributions to condensed matter physics." It was endowed by AT&T Bell Laboratories as a means of recognizing outstanding...
in 1966. He was the recipient of the 1983/84 Wolf Prize in Physics
Wolf Prize in Physics
The Wolf Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Wolf Foundation in Israel. It is one of the six Wolf Prizes established by the Foundation and awarded since 1978; the others are in Agriculture, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medicine and Arts. The Prize is often considered the most prestigious...
, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing, honoring and encouraging invention and creativity through the administration of its programs. The Hall of Fame honors the men and women responsible for the great technological advances that make human,...
that same year. Besides, he received F&J. Hertz and Japan Prize
Japan Prize
is awarded to people from all parts of the world whose "original and outstanding achievements in science and technology are recognized as having advanced the frontiers of knowledge and served the cause of peace and prosperity for mankind."- Explanation :...
s. Many universities awarded him honorary degrees. Maiman received his last honorary degree in 2002 from Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
, Vancouver, Canada. Maiman's laser was named an IEEE Milestone in 2010.
Maiman died from systemic mastocytosis on May 5, 2007 in Vancouver, Canada, where he lived with his wife Kathleen.
External links
- Theodore H. Maiman via IEEE Global History Network
- Bright Idea: The First Lasers (history)
- laserinventor.com