In Palo Alto, California, at the age of 77
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Arthur Leonard Schawlow was an American physicist who, along with Charles Townes, developed the theoretical basis for laser science. His central insight was the use of two mirrors as the resonant cavity to take maser action from microwaves to visible wavelengths. He shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics with Nicolaas Bloembergen and Kai Siegbahn for his work using lasers to determine atomic energ…
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science · American physicist (1921–1999) · physicist · university teacher · inventor · also Arthur Leonard Schawlow, Arthur Schawlow, Arthur L. Schawlow, Schawlow
Born 5 May 1921 · Died 28 April 1999 · Q190503
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In Palo Alto, California, at the age of 77
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Died 1999-04-28.
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It was later named the Arthur Schawlow Center in 1999, shortly before his death.
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“Dead is when the chemists take over the subject.”
“A diatomic molecule is a molecule with one atom too many.”
“Anything will lase if you hit it hard enough.”
“Anything worth doing is worth doing twice, the first time quick and dirty and the second time the best way you can.”
“To do successful research, you don't need to know everything, you just need to know one thing that isn't known.”
Awarded National Inventors Hall of Fame (1996).
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Won National Medal of Science (1991).
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The American Physical Society established the Arthur L
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Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics — for their contribution to the development of laser spectroscopy.
Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics (1981).
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Awarded Marconi Prize (1977).
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Won Frederic Ives Medal (1976).
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Awarded Richtmyer Memorial Lecture Award (1970).
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Awarded IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award (1964).
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Won Young Medal and Prize (1963).
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Won Stuart Ballantine Medal (1962).
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To become Professor of Physics at Stanford University, where he remained until his retirement in 1991
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Schawlow married Aurelia Townes, the younger sister of Charles Townes
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Born 1921-05-05.
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In Mount Vernon, New York, to a Jewish father from Riga and a Canadian mother
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