Physics Nobel Prize awarded for insights into light

Tuesday, October 4, 2005  

Roy J. Glauber (Harvard University) won half of this year's Physics Nobel Prize, and John L. Hall (University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology) and Theodor W. Hänsch (Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching) each receive a quarter of the prize.

Glauber clarified the quantum nature of light. He showed how light composed of discrete quantum particles (photons) can be reconciled with the wave-like behavior of light. His theoretical work laid the foundations of quantum optics.

Hall and Hänsch developed methods to measure the frequency of light to extreme precisions. Their findings "have made it possible to measure frequencies with an accuracy of 15 digits," for use in highly accurate clocks and new technology for global positioning systems.

The recipients will share a 10,000,000 kronor prize (1.5 Million USD), with Glauber receiving half and Hall and Hänsch each receiving a quarter of the total.

Sources

• NobelPrize web page —  October 4, 2005

• [1] — ABC Australia Online, October 04, 2005

• Roy J. Glauber. The Quantum Theory of Optical Coherence — Physical Review, June 15, 1963

• Jun Ye, Tai Hyun Yoon, and John L. Hall. Accuracy Comparison of Absolute Optical Frequency Measurement between Harmonic-Generation Synthesis and a Frequency-Division Femtosecond Comb — Physical Review Letters, October 30, 2000

• Th. Udem, J. Reichert, R. Holzwarth, and T. W. Hänsch. Absolute Optical Frequency Measurement of the Cesium D1 Line with a Mode-Locked Laser — Physical Review Letters, May 3, 1999