The achromatic doublet, a device capable of eliminating colour fringes in optical systems, reached commercial viability through the systematic research of John Dollond. By combining crown and flint glass, he successfully corrected chromatic aberration, a breakthrough that fundamentally altered the construction of telescopes and precision instruments during the mid-eighteenth century in the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Early Life and Trade Transition
Born in Spitalfields in 1706 to a Huguenot silk-weaver, Dollond initially followed his father's occupation. Despite his primary trade, he dedicated his time to acquiring knowledge in physics, anatomy, mathematics, and multiple languages, including Latin and Greek. In 1752, he left the silk-weaving industry to join his son, Peter Dollond, who had established an optical instrument business two years earlier. This partnership eventually evolved into the enterprise known as Dollond & Aitchison.
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Dollond's scientific reputation grew alongside his commercial success. His research in optics addressed the limitations of existing lens designs. Initially doubting the feasibility of correcting chromatic aberration, he reconsidered his stance after the Swedish physicist Samuel Klingenstierna highlighted discrepancies in Isaac Newton’s laws of dispersion. Dollond subsequently conducted experiments using water and glass, eventually refining his method to produce achromatic lenses using varied qualities of glass.
Patents and Institutional Recognition
His 1758 paper, titled An Account of some experiments concerning the different refrangibility of light, detailed his findings and led to his receipt of the Copley Medal that same year. He secured a 14-year patent for the achromatic doublet on 19 April 1758. Though competitors such as Benjamin Martin, Robert Rew, and Jesse Ramsden later challenged the legal standing of this patent, the courts upheld its validity due to Dollond's active commercial exploitation of the technology. In 1761, he was appointed optician to King George III and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Legacy and Final Years
Beyond his work on lens aberration, Dollond published two papers in 1753 and 1754 regarding apparatus designed for measuring small angles. He maintained an active membership in the Spitalfields Mathematical Society and remained a devout member of the French Protestant Church. Dollond died of apoplexy in London on 30 November 1761, leaving behind a firm that would remain significant in the development of precision instrumentation for decades.
Fast facts
- Born: 1706, Spitalfields
- Died: 1761, London
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Great Britain
- Spouse: Elizabeth Sommelier
- Patent Granted: 19 April 1758
- Notable Award: Copley Medal (1758)
- Professional Roles: Astronomer, physicist, instrument maker
- Member: Royal Society, Spitalfields Mathematical Society
Questions readers ask
What was John Dollond’s primary optical invention?
He is primarily associated with the patenting and commercialization of the achromatic doublet, which reduced or eliminated chromatic aberration in lenses.
What was his professional relationship with his family?
He joined his son Peter in his optical instrument business in 1752, and his daughter Sarah married the mathematician and instrument maker Jesse Ramsden.
Achievements
- Copley Medal — 1758
- Worked as astronomer, physicist and instrument maker
