In these engaging memoirs of a maverick, Theodore H. Maiman describes the life events leading to his invention of the laser in 1960. Maiman succeeded using his expertise in physics and engineering along with an ingenious and elegant design not anticipated by others. His pink ruby laser produced mankind's first-ever coherent light and has provided transformational technology for commerce, industry, telecom, the Internet, medicine, and all the sciences. Maiman also chronicles the resistance from his employer and the ongoing intrigue by competing researchers in industry and academia seeking to diminish his contribution in inventing the first laser. This work will appeal to a wide readership, from physicists and engineers through science enthusiasts to general readers. The volume includes extensive photos and documentary materials related to Maiman's life and accomplishments never before published.
"No one beat Maiman to the laser. How important is the laser? How important are all lasers? That is how important we have to regard Maiman's contribution.He and the laser changed all of our lives, everyone's!"Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics, University of Illinois at Champaigne-Urbana, and inventor of the light-emitting diode (LED) and co-inventor of the transistor laser
"More than five decades later, we can safely conclude that Theodore Maiman's groundbreaking discovery changed the world. Our modern life just as scientific research would be quite different without the laser."Dr. Ferenc Krausz, Director, Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, Garching, Germany, and Professor of Physics, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, and pioneer in attosecond lasers and attophysics
"Maiman had the stroke of genius needed to take a different approach [from his competitors]. The sheer elegance and simplicity of his design beliesthe intellectual achievement it represents. If his invention seems obvious to some today, it was far from obvious in 1960."Jeff Hecht, authoritative science writer on the historical development of the laser, author of books on lasers and fiber optics

Tells the inventor's own life story of how he came to create the world's first laser Elaborates on Maiman's father nurturing his interest in invention as a child Describes the challenge of moving from masers (microwave amplification) to lasers (light amplification) Critiques ongoing efforts by competing researchers to minimize the role of Maiman as inventor of the first laser Provides important tips to scientists, engineers, and researchers: do not be afraid to blaze your own research path; do not blindly follow the agenda of acclaimed scientists; and avoid complicated solutions in designing a device Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext

Theodore H. Maiman (11.7.1927-5.5.2007) was the creator of the world's first laser. He completed his PhD in Physics at Stanford University under the Nobel Laureate Willis Lamb. Over the years, Maiman received various prizes, awards and accolades, including the Hertz Award (1966), the Optical Society of America's R.W. Wood Prize for "Pioneer Development of the First Laser" (1976), the Wolf Foundation Physics Prize (1984) and the Japan Prize (1987). In 1984 Maiman was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and in 1994 into the Royal College of Surgeons of England as an Honorary Fellow. He was a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineers, and was a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the Optical Society of America and the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Inhalt
Dedication.- Acknowledgments.- Introductory Notes (Kathleen Maiman).- Prologue.- 1 Setting the Stage.- 2 Stepping Stones.- 3 The Ivory Tower.- 4 Entering the Real World.- 5 The Ruby Maser Distraction.- 6 Building Blocks.- 7 Laser Chronology.- 8 Race to the Light.- 9 Three Levels 'Can't Work'.- 10 Obstacles and Solutions.- 11 Let There Be Coherent Light.- 12 The Light Fantastic.- 13 Publication Fiasco Enter Politics.- 14 The News Release.- 15 Aftershocks and Ripple Effects.- 16 Nullification Tactics.- 17 Bandwagoning.- 18 Forty Years of Spin.- 19 Exploding a Myth.- 20 Exit Hughes, Enter Korad.- 21 A Solution Looking for a Problem.- 22 Hughes Patent Blunders.- 23 The Paper Patents.- 24 Award Happenings.- 25 South American Adventure.- Epilogue: Afterthoughts.- Addendum 1: Speech by Dr. Theodore H. Maiman, July 7, 1960, at Press Conference, New York, Announcing the Creation of the First Laser.- Addendum 2: Ted Maiman and the Laser: 50 Years Later, Tribute by Nick Holonyak, Jr..- Addendum 3: Maiman's Laser: A Legacy of Limitless Applications, by Jeff Hecht.- Addendum 4: Pretenders to Invention of the Laser, by Kathleen Maiman.- Addendum 5: Scientific Papers and Patents by Theodre H. Maiman.- Addendum 6: Theodore H. Maiman's Major Awards, Prizes, and Citations.- Addendum 7: Table of 35 Nobel Prize Awards Citing the Laser, 1964-2014.- Addendum 8: Table of Japan Prize Awards Citing the Laser, 1987-2014.- Addendum 9: U.S. Patent Number 3,353,115: Ruby Laser Systems, Inventor Theodore H. Maiman.- Addendum 10: Reprint of T.H. Maiman, Stimulated Optical Radiation in Ruby, Nature, 187, 493-494 (August 6, 1960).- Name Index.- Subject Index.