Arthur Leonard Schawlow fundamentally transformed modern optics by articulating the theoretical framework for laser technology alongside Charles Townes. His methodology, which utilized two mirrors to create a resonant cavity, successfully transitioned maser action from the microwave spectrum into visible wavelengths. This contribution laid the foundation for decades of precision atomic research and established the operational parameters for contemporary laser design.
Academic Foundation
Born in 1921 in Mount Vernon, New York, Schawlow relocated to Toronto at age three. He completed his secondary education at Vaughan Road Academy before entering the University of Toronto. Under the guidance of Professor Malcolm F. Crawford, he earned his doctorate in 1949. That same year, he began a pivotal postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University working with Charles Townes, with whom he later co-authored the 1955 text, Microwave Spectroscopy.
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In 1958, Schawlow and Townes published their seminal paper detailing the design for optical masers. While others such as Gordon Gould contributed early conceptual work and Theodore Maiman successfully demonstrated the first working laser in 1960, the Schawlow-Townes theory provided the essential physical basis for the technology. During this era, Schawlow balanced his research in optics with investigations into superconductivity and nuclear resonance while employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Stanford Tenure and Nobel Recognition
Schawlow joined the faculty at Stanford University in 1961, serving as a professor of physics until his retirement in 1991. His professional output was recognized with numerous honors, culminating in the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics, which he shared with Nicolaas Bloembergen and Kai Siegbahn. The award specifically acknowledged his advancements in using lasers to measure atomic energy levels with unprecedented accuracy.
Personal Advocacy and Later Life
Outside of his laboratory duties, Schawlow was dedicated to supporting individuals with autism, an interest born from the needs of his son, Arthur Jr. He worked alongside colleague Robert Hofstadter to secure institutional care for autistic people, including the establishment of a facility in Paradise, California, later named the Arthur Schawlow Center. Schawlow died of leukemia in Palo Alto on April 28, 1999.
Fast facts
- Born: 1921, Mount Vernon
- Died: 1999, Palo Alto
- Nobel Prize in Physics: 1981
- Education: University of Toronto
- Key Publication: Microwave Spectroscopy (1955)
- Professional Membership: National Academy of Sciences
- Distinction: National Inventors Hall of Fame (1996)
- Significant Award: National Medal of Science (1991)
Questions readers ask
What was Arthur Schawlow's main contribution to physics?
He developed the theoretical basis for laser science and invented the resonant cavity mirror technique.
Did Schawlow invent the laser?
He and Charles Townes published the theory for optical masers, though Gordon Gould held earlier unpublished work and Theodore Maiman built the first working laser.
