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Arthur Schawlow

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Arthur Schawlow was a prominent American experimental physicist instrumental in the development of lasers. His work, particularly his co-authored 1958 paper with Charles Townes, fundamentally shaped laser theory and technology. This research earned him a share of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics. Schawlow's contributions are vital for scientists and engineers involved in spectroscopy, optical communications, and related fields.

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What is Arthur Schawlow famous for in physics?

Arthur Schawlow co-authored the landmark 1958 paper "Infrared and Optical Masers" with Charles Townes, which laid the theoretical foundation for the laser. This paper, published in Physical Review, outlined how an optical maser could be built and directly led to Theodore Maiman's first working laser in 1960.

When did Arthur Schawlow win the Nobel Prize?

Schawlow shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics with Nicolaas Bloembergen and Kai Siegbahn for his contributions to the development of laser spectroscopy. His work used tunable lasers to measure atomic and molecular structures with unprecedented precision.

What was the relationship between Arthur Schawlow and Charles Townes?

Schawlow and Townes were both colleagues at Columbia University and later brothers-in-law, as Schawlow married Townes's sister Aurelia. They collaborated at Bell Labs in the 1950s, and together they co-authored the book "Microwave Spectroscopy" in 1955 before developing their laser theory.

Where did Arthur Schawlow work as a professor?

After his time at Bell Labs, Schawlow joined the faculty at Stanford University in 1961 and remained there for the rest of his career. At Stanford, he conducted his Nobel-winning laser spectroscopy research and co-founded the Stanford Center for Optical Coherence and Quantum Optics.