 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline .(December 2019) |
The Charles Hard Townes Award of Optica is a prize for quantum electronics, including laser physics. Awarded annually since 1981, it is named after the Nobel Prize-winning laser pioneer Charles H. Townes. [1] [2]
Former winners include Nobel Prize laureates John L. Hall, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Serge Haroche, Arthur Ashkin, and Gérard Mourou.
| Year | Recipient | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Andrew M. Weiner | "For ground-breaking work bringing optical frequency combs to the quantum world and developing innovative applications spanning several fields, including coherent control, generation and line-by-line manipulation of frequency combs, and ultrabroadband radio-frequency photonics." |
| 2022 | Girish Saran Agarwal | "For discoveries in theoretical quantum optics especially vacuum-induced coherences, photon-added coherent states, nonclassical cat states for qubits via engineered many-body interactions, and transparency in optomechanical systems." |
| 2021 | Mikhail Lukin [3] | "For his pioneering theoretical and experimental contributions to quantum nonlinear optics and quantum information science and technology, and for the development and application of nanoscale quantum systems for sensing." |
| 2020 | Toshiki Tajima | "For seminal contributions in broad and novel plasma physics and laser-based accelerator physics, introducing the concept of Laser Wakefield Acceleration." |
| 2019 | Alexander L. Gaeta | "For seminal contributions to chip-based nonlinear photonics, nonlinear optics in photonic crystal fibers, and nonlinear propagation of ultrashort laser pulses." |
| 2018 | Peter Fritschel [4] | "For advances in quantum-limited precision measurement in the Advanced LIGO detectors, leading to the first direct detection of gravitational waves." |
| 2017 | Adolf Giesen | "For pioneering breakthroughs in the field of solid-state lasers by the invention of and fundamental contributions to thin disk lasers." |
| 2016 | Robert W. Boyd [5] | "For fundamental contributions to the field of nonlinear optics, including the development of methods for controlling the velocity of light, of quantum imaging methods, and of composite nonlinear optical materials." |
| 2015 | Ursula Keller [6] | "For seminal contributions in the fields of octave-spanning lasers, frequency comb technology, and high repetition-rate ultrafast semiconductor disc lasers." |
| 2014 | Masataka Nakazawa | "For seminal contributions to the science and applications of ultrafast optics and ultrastable narrow-linewidth lasers." |
| 2013 | Günter Huber [7] | "For seminal contributions to solid state lasers, in particular the growth, development, and fundamental characterization of new laser materials based on laser active transition metal and rare earth ions." |
| 2012 | Philippe Grangier | "For breakthroughs in fundamental quantum optics, based on invention and/or development of experimental methods and techniques, and leading to groundbreaking applications in quantum information." |
| 2011 | Wilson Sibbett | "For pioneering breakthroughs in the science and technology of ultrashort optical pulses including generation, measurement and the development of practical sources for applications in photophysics, photochemistry, photomedicine, engineering and communications." |
| 2010 | Atac Imamoglu | "For his seminal contribution to electromagnetically induced transparency and pioneering work on quantum information processing with quantum dots." |
| 2009 | Gérard Mourou [8]  | "For ground-breaking applications of high-intensity lasers to precision micromachining, eye surgery and relativistic light-matter interactions." |
| 2008 | Robert R. Alfano | "For contributions to the discovery and investigation of supercontinuum generation and the development of tetravalent chromium-based tunable solid state lasers." |
| 2007 | Serge Haroche [9] | "For pioneering experiments in cavity quantum electrodynamics, starting with the observation of superradiance, leading to the twophoton maser, non-destructive measurements of photons, and decoherence of Schrödinger cats." |
| 2006 | Orazio Svelto [10] | "For pioneering work on ultrashort laser pulses and solid state lasers, and for the invention of the hollow-fiber compressor, leading to advances in extreme nonlinear optics and attosecond science." |
| 2005 | Paul Corkum  | "For key contributions to the understanding of the physics of atoms and molecules in intense laser fields and the application of these ideas to ultra-fast measurement techniques." |
| 2004 | Erich P. Ippen | "For his many outstanding, pioneering and sustained contributions to ultrafast science and technology, and fundamental nonlinear optics." |
| 2003 | David C. Hanna | "For seminal contributions to the development of coherent light sources and for leadership within the worldwide optics community." |
| 2002 | Charles V. Shank | "For the development of ultra short lasers from the near-infrared to x-rays, and their application to condensed-matter problems in chemistry, physics, and biology." |
| 2001 | A. David Buckingham | "For many theoretical and experimental contributions to electro-optics and magneto-optics, including the invention and application of a direct method for measuring molecular electric quadruple moments." |
| 2000 | Richard G. Brewer | "For his outstanding contributions to quantum optics, characterized by originality and diversity, involving the interplay of theory and elegant experiments to elucidate fundamental problems of coherent optical transients, using atoms, molecules, solids and trapped ions." |
| 1999 | Charles H. Henry | "For fundamental contributions to the understanding of the optical properties of quantum wells, semiconductor lasers, and advanced photonic technologies." |
| 1998 | Marlan O. Scully [11] | "For his role in laying the theoretical foundation for laser science, free-electron lasers, and lasers without inversion." |
| 1997 | Linn F. Mollenauer | "For pioneering ultrafast optics in the 1.5 μm wavelength regime, demonstrating optical soliton propagation in fibers, and developing innovative soliton systems that have set records for high-capacity repeaterless data transmission." |
| 1996 | Chung Liang Tang [12] | "For seminal and pioneering advances in the field of nonlinear optics and laser physics." |
| 1995 | Ivan P. Kaminow  | "For outstanding leadership and contributions to the field of quantum electronics over the past 40 years, which include pioneering the invention and development of titanium-diffused LiNb03 waveguides and revolutionary innovations in electro-optic modulators." |
| 1994 | Joseph H. Eberly | "For his contributions to theoretical optical physics, in particular, his work on coherent pulse propagation and superra-diance, atomic radiation theory, cavity quantum electrodynamics, and multiphoton intense field phenomena." |
| 1993 | Claude Cohen-Tannoudji | "For his contributions to optical pumping and his development of the dressed atom method for describing electromagnetic interactions with matter." |
| 1992 | Nick Holonyak   | "For his career in quantum electronics, particularly his contributions to semiconducting, light-emitting sources." |
| 1991 | Elias Snitzer | "For his pioneering contributions to solid state lasers and fiber optics, in particular, neodymium-glass and erbium-glass lasers, the first fiber optic laser, and for innovative contributions to fiber optic amplifiers and fiber optic lasers." |
| 1990 | Herbert Walther | "For his fundamental contributions to the quantum electronics of atoms and molecules." |
| 1989 | Daniel Joseph Bradley  | "For his pioneering contributions to the fields of nonlinear optics, the physics of dye lasers, and the generation and detection of ultrashort light pulses." |
| 1988 | Arthur Ashkin [13] | "For original, creative, experimental, and theoretical work that initiated the study of laser radiation pressure and for continuing exceptional contributions." |
| 1987 | Hermann A. Haus [14] | "For his analysis of laser noise, the development of the mode-locked semiconductor laser, and contributions to our understanding of nonlinear waveguide interactions." |
| 1986 | Yuen-Ron Shen | "For his pioneering and continuing contributions to the field of nonlinear optics." |
| 1985 | Stephen E. Harris | "For his contributions to the development of techniques for the generation of extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray radiation." |
| 1984 | Veniamin P. Chebotaev | "In recognition of independent pioneering efforts and continuing contributions in the field of laser metrology, ultrahigh resolution spectroscopy, and ultrastable laser sources." |
| John L. Hall | ||
| 1983 | Robert W. Hellwarth | "For his invention of the Q-switched laser, codiscovery of the Raman laser and explanation of stimulated scattering phenomena, and the theory of optical phase conjugation." |
| 1982 | Chandra Kumar N. Patel [15]  | "For his pioneering contributions to quantum electronics, including the discovery of many gaseous laser systems, particularly to the CO2 laser; his invention and development of the spin-flip Raman laser; his high-resolution studies for pollution detection in the atmosphere; and his contributions to acousto-optic techniques for measuring small optical absorptions." |
| 1981 | James P. Gordon | "For their contributions to the successful operation of the first quantum-electronics device, the ammonia maser." |
| Herbert Zeiger |
The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics is an international non-governmental organization whose mission is to assist in the worldwide development of physics, to foster international cooperation in physics, and to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity. It was established in 1922 and the first General Assembly was held in 1923 in Paris. The Union is domiciled in Geneva, Switzerland.
In particle physics, a massless particle is an elementary particle whose invariant mass is zero. There are two known gauge boson massless particles: the photon and the gluon. However, gluons are never observed as free particles, since they are confined within hadrons. In addition the Weyl semimetal or Weyl fermion discovered in 2015 is also massless.
Gérard Albert Mourou is a French scientist and pioneer in the field of electrical engineering and lasers. He was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, along with Donna Strickland, for the invention of chirped pulse amplification, a technique later used to create ultrashort-pulse, very high-intensity (petawatt) laser pulses.
The Boltzmann Medal is a prize awarded to physicists that obtain new results concerning statistical mechanics; it is named after the celebrated physicist Ludwig Boltzmann. The Boltzmann Medal is awarded once every three years by the Commission on Statistical Physics of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, during the STATPHYS conference.
The John Tyndall Award is given to the "individual who has made pioneering, highly significant, or continuing technical or leadership contributions to fiber optics technology". The award is named after John Tyndall (1820-1893), who demonstrated for the first time internal reflection.
The James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics is an annual American Physical Society (APS) award that is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of the Plasma Physics. It was established in 1975 by Maxwell Technologies, Inc, in honor of the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell. It is currently sponsored by General Atomics. The prize includes a $10,000 USD monetary award and recognition at the annual American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics conference.
The Ellis R. Lippincott Award is awarded annually to recognize "an individual who has made significant contributions to vibrational spectroscopy as judged by his or her influence on other scientists." It was jointly established in 1975 by The Optical Society, The Coblentz Society, and The Society for Applied Spectroscopy. The award honors Ellis R. Lippincott, a vibrational spectroscopist who worked at the University of Maryland. Lippincott was one of the developers of the Diamond anvil cell, which is used in high pressure research.
The Max Born Award is given by Optica for "outstanding contributions to physical optics", and is named after Max Born.
The David Richardson Medal is awarded by the Optical Society to recognize contributions to optical engineering, primarily in the commercial and industrial sector. The award was first made in 1966 to its namesake David J. Richardson. He received it for distinctive contributions to the ruling and replicating of gratings, used to determine the transfer functions of lenses. There is a prize associated with the medal.
The Adolph Lomb Medal, awarded by the Optical Society is a prize for young scientists for their contributions to optics. It is named after Adolph Lomb, treasurer of the Optical Society of America from its founding until his death in 1942.
The Esther Beller Hoffman Medal is an award given by The Optical Society that recognizes outstanding contributions by individuals around the world to the fields of optical science and engineering education. The award was established in 1993 and past winners include Emil Wolf, Anthony E. Siegman, Ulrich Lemmer and Eric Mazur.
The R. W. Wood Prize is an award endowed by Xerox and given by Optica to an individual that makes an outstanding technical contribution or an invention in the field of optics. The award was established in 1975 in commemoration of Robert W. Wood.
Donna Theo Strickland is a Canadian optical physicist and pioneer in the field of pulsed lasers. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, together with Gérard Mourou, for the practical implementation of chirped pulse amplification. She is a professor at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
The William F. Meggers Award has been awarded annually since 1970 by the Optical Society for outstanding contributions to spectroscopy.
The Frederic Ives Medal is the highest award of the Optical Society, recognizing overall distinction in optics. The prize was established in 1928 by Herbert E. Ives in honor of his father, Frederic Ives. Initially awarded every two years, it has been awarded annually since 1951. The prize is funded by the Jarus W. Quinn Ives Medal Endowment.
Michael Dudley Sturge was an English experimental physicist best known for his contributions to solid-state spectroscopy. He was born in Bristol to a family with a Quaker tradition. While his most influential paper is about discovery of excitons in gallium arsenide, the scope of his research covered wide field of solid-state spectroscopy, and its impact is reflected by establishment of the Sturge Prize in condensed matter spectroscopy.
The Edwin H. Land Medal is jointly presented by The Optical Society and the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T). The Land Medal was established in 1992 to honor the noted scientist and entrepreneur Edwin H. Land, who is noted for his invention of instant photography, for founding the Polaroid Corporation, and for developing the theory of Retinex, amongst many other accomplishments. It is funded by the Polaroid Foundation, the Polaroid Retirees Association and by individual contributors Manfred Heiting, Theodore Voss and John J. McCann. The medal honors individuals who, using the science of optics, "have demonstrated pioneering entrepreneurial activity that has had a major impact on the public."
Nathaniel Joseph Fisch is an American plasma physicist known for pioneering the excitation of electric currents in plasmas using electromagnetic waves, which was then used in tokamak experiments. This contributed to an increased understanding of plasma wave–particle interactions in the field for which he was awarded the James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics in 2005 and the Hannes Alfvén Prize in 2015.
Toshiki Tajima is a Japanese theoretical plasma physicist known for pioneering the laser wakefield acceleration technique with John M. Dawson in 1979. The technique is used to accelerate particles in a plasma and was experimentally realized in 1994, for which Tajima received several awards such as the Nishina Memorial Prize (2006), the Enrico Fermi Prize (2015), the Robert R. Wilson Prize (2019), the Hannes Alfvén Prize (2019) and the Charles Hard Townes Award (2020).
Chung Liang Tang was a Chinese-born American applied physicist.