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Nick Holonyak, Jr. Award

Learn more about the award and its establishment

Information and deadlines for nominations

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Nick Holonyak, Jr. Award

Presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to optics based on semiconductor-based optical devices and materials, including basic science and technological applications.

The award was established in 1997 to honor Nick Holonyak Jr., who made distinguished contributions to the field of optics through the development of semiconductor based light emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers. It is endowed by SDL Ventures, LLC, and Donald and Carol Scifres.

Winners

2024

Theodore D Moustakas

Theodore D Moustakas

For pioneering contributions to nitride semiconductor materials and optical devices that helped build the foundation for blue and UV LEDs

2023

Yeshaiahu Fainman

Yeshaiahu Fainman

For pioneering contributions to nanoscale science and engineering of ultra-small, sub-micrometer semiconductor light emitters and nanolasers for information processing systems applications

2022

Marshall Nathan

Marshall Nathan

For his pioneering work in creating GaAs diode lasers and inventive contributions to compound semiconductors and laser physics.

2021

Martin D. Dawson

Martin D. Dawson

For wide-ranging contributions to the development and application of III-V semiconductor devices especially including gallium nitride micro-LEDs and optically-pumped semiconductor lasers

2020

Kei May Lau

Kei May Lau

For significant contributions to hetero-epitaxy of compound semiconductors on silicon for future integrated lasers and advancing the field of light-emitting diode microdisplays

2019

Fumio Koyama

Fumio Koyama

For seminal contributions to VCSEL photonics and integration

2018

Dieter Bimberg

Dieter Bimberg

For fundamental discoveries on growth and physics of semiconductor nanostructures leading to novel nanophotonic devices for information science and communications

2017

Larry A Coldren

Larry A Coldren

For major contributions to photonic integrated circuits

2016

Chennupati Jagadish

Chennupati Jagadish

For pioneering and sustained contributions to quantum-well, quantum-dot and nanowire optoelectronic devices and their integration

2015

Qing Hu

Qing Hu

For his pioneering contribution to high-performance THz quantum-cascade lasers and their applications in imaging and sensing

2014

Ching Wan Tang

Ching Wan Tang

For the discovery of efficient thin-film organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), which has led to novel display and lighting products

2013

Alessandro Tredicucci

Alessandro Tredicucci

For demonstrating a terahertz quantum cascade device, the first compact injection laser in the far infrared

2012

Kent D Choquette

Kent D Choquette

For contributions to the development of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers

2011

Yasuhiko Arakawa

Yasuhiko Arakawa

For seminal contributions to quantum dot lasers and nanophotonic devices

2010

Dan Botez

Dan Botez

For fundamental contributions to high-power semiconductor lasers including active photonic-crystal structures for high coherent power generation; single-lobe grating-surface-emitting distributed-feedback lasers; and high-power, high-efficiency sources based on aluminum-free technology

2009

John E Bowers

John E Bowers

For fundamental and technological advances in active hybrid silicon photonic devices including lasers, modulators, amplifiers and silicon based active photonic integrated circuits

2008

Kam Yin Lau

Kam Yin Lau

For seminal contributions to high-speed direct modulation of semiconductor lasers through enhanced differential optical gain

2007

Connie J Chang-Hasnain

Connie J Chang-Hasnain

For contributions to the control of diode lasers: vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays, injection locking and slow light

2006

James J Coleman

James J Coleman

For a career of contributions to quantum well and strained-layer semiconductor lasers through innovative epitaxial growth methods and novel device designs

2005

P. Daniel Dapkus

P. Daniel Dapkus

For seminal contributions to the development of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and its application to quantum well laser devices

2004

Peter G Eliseev

Peter G Eliseev

For original and pioneering contributions to the physics and technology of semiconductor lasers, beginning with homojunctions, progressing to heterostructures of InGaAsP/InP, InGaAsSb/GaSb and including ultra-low-threshold quantum-dot structures

2003

Joe Charles Campbell

Joe Charles Campbell

For contributions to the development of high-speed, low-noise avalanche photodiodes

2002

Pallab K Bhattacharya

Pallab K Bhattacharya

For fundamental contributions to the development and understanding of quantum-dot lasers and other quantum-confined photonic devices

2001

Shuji Nakamura

Shuji Nakamura

For original demonstration and commercialization of GaN-based semiconductor lasers and LEDs

2000

Zhores Ivanovich Alferov

Zhores Ivanovich Alferov *

For his original investigations of heterostructure injection lasers and cw room temperature semiconductor lasers

1999

Dennis G Deppe

Dennis G Deppe

For the development of the oxide-confined vertical cavity surface-emitting laser

1998

Magnus George Craford

Magnus George Craford

For his pioneering contributions and leadership in the research and development of visible-wavelength light-emitting-diode (LED) materials and devices, including the first yellow LED and high-brightness, red-orange-yellow InAlGaP LEDs that exceed in performance the incandescent lamp

* Deceased

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