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Harvard Scientist Federico Capasso Awarded the 2004 Arthur L. Schawlow Prize by the American Physical Society
$10,000 Prize Highlights the Work of the Co-inventor of the Quantum Cascade Laser
Cambridge, Mass. - December 18, 2003 - On behalf of the American Physical Society (APS), Harvard University's Federico Capasso, Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering, has been awarded the 2004 Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science, endowed by the NEC Corporation, for his "contributions to the invention and demonstration of the quantum cascade laser and the elucidation of its physics, which bridges quantum electronics, solid-state physics, and materials science."
Quantum cascade (QC) lasers were invented and first demonstrated by Capasso and his group at Bell Labs in 1994. The powerful and portable lasers are made by stacking ultra thin atomic layers of semiconductor materials on top of each other. By varying the thickness of the layers scientists can select the wavelength at which a QC laser will emit light, custom designing it for a specific application. Some of the many potential applications of the laser include pollution monitoring, medical diagnostics such as breath analysis, combustion diagnostics, homeland security, and law enforcement.
Capasso received the doctor of Physics degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Rome, Italy, in 1973 and after doing research in fiber optics at Fondazione Bordoni in Rome, joined Bell Labs in 1976. He joined Harvard's Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences in January 2003. He has been widely honored for his interdisciplinary research in fields such as materials research, solid state physics, electronics, and photonics. His honors include membership in the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
"I am delighted to be honored for a contribution that bridges basic and applied research and spans various fields of science," says Capasso. "This achievement was made possible by the thriving interdisciplinary culture of Bell Laboratories and by the many talented colleagues I had the privilege to work with. This cross-fertilization between different fields is what attracted me to Harvard's Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences after spending over 25 years in industry."
Named for the 1981 Nobel Prize winning physicist Arthur L. Schawlow for his pioneering work on lasers, APS established the award in 1991 to recognize outstanding contributions to basic research that uses lasers to advance our knowledge of the fundamental physical properties of materials and their interaction with light. Founded in 1899, APS represents over 43,000 members and was set up to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics.
"It is fitting that Federico Capasso, a highly creative and innovative scientist, has been awarded a prize named after a researcher who helped bring lasers from idea to reality," says Venkatesh Narayanamurti, Dean of the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Dean of Physical Sciences at Harvard University.
The annually awarded prize consists of $10,000 plus an allowance for travel to the meeting at which the prize is awarded and a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient. The award ceremony will take place in October 2004 at the DLS/OSA meeting.
About Harvard Engineering and Applied Sciences
The Harvard Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences is dedicated to the pursuit of interdisciplinary education and research in science and technology. By providing a rigorous scientific education while encouraging intellectual flexibility, the Division enables students to develop technical know-how within a liberal arts environment. More than a third of the senior faculty are members of the National Academies of Engineering or Sciences, the Royal Society (London), or the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. To learn more visit www.deas.harvard.edu.
About APS
The American Physical Society is the world's largest professional body of physicists representing over 43,000 physicists in academia and industry in the US and internationally. It has offices in College Park, MD, and Ridge, NY. For more information visit www.aps.org.
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