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The Nobel Prize for Physics 2005
[4th Sep 2005]
American Physicist's
Roy Glauber, who is considered “the father of
quantum optics” alongwith John Hall and Theodor
Hänsch of Germany wins the Nobel Prize for Physics
2005.
The Nobel Prize in Physics
2005 is about light. Roy Glauber, who is considered
“the father of quantum optics”, shares
the Prize with John Hall and Theodor Hänsch.
Nobel prize is awarded to these Physicists for their
contributions in the field of Quantum Optics and Laser
based spectroscopy.
The Royal Swedish Academy
of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in
Physics for 2005 with one half to
Roy J. Glauber
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
“for his contribution to the quantum theory
of optical coherence”
and one half jointly
to
John L. Hall
JILA, University of Colorado and National Institute
of Standards and
Technology, Boulder, CO, USA and
Theodor W. Hänsch
Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching
and
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
“for their contributions to the development
of laser-based precision
spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb
technique”.
Since Galileo era Optics
was always a subject of fascination in Physics. Modern
science revisits the field of light with quantum Optics.
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded
to three scientists in the field of optics. Roy Glauber
is awarded half of the Prize for his
theoretical description of the behaviour of light
particles called Optical Coherence. John Hall and
Theodor Hänsch share the other half of the Prize
for their development of laser-based precision spectroscopy,
that is, the determination of the colour of the light
of atoms and molecules with extreme precision.
Just like radio waves,
light is a form of electromagnetic radiation. Maxwell
described this in the 1850s. His theory has been utilised
in
modern communication technology based on transmitters
and receivers: mobile telephones, television and radio.
If a receiver or a detector is to register light,
it must be able to absorb the radiation energy and
forward the signal. This energy occurs in packets
called quanta and a hundred years ago Einstein was
able to show how the absorption of a quantum (a photon)
leads to the release of a photoelectron. It is these
indirect photoelectrons that are registered in the
apparatuses when photons are absorbed. Thus light
exhibits a double nature – it can be considered
both as waves and as a stream of particles. Roy Glauber
has established the basis of Quantum Optics, in which
quantum theory encompasses the field of optics. He
could explain the fundamental differences between
hot sources of
light such as light bulbs, with a mixture of frequencies
and phases, and lasers which give a specific frequency
and phase.
The important contributions
by John Hall and Theodor Hänsch have made it
possible to measure frequencies with an accuracy of
fifteen digits. Lasers with extremely sharp colours
can now be constructed and with the frequency comb
technique precise readings can be made of light of
all colours. This technique makes it possible to carry
out studies of, for example, the stability of the
constants of nature over time and to develop extremely
accurate clocks and improved GPS technology.
Original Press Release
can be found here
Click here
for The Nobel Prize for Physics (1901-2005)
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