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R. W. Wood Prize

Learn more about the award and its establishment

Information and deadlines for nominations

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R. W. Wood Prize

Recognizes an outstanding discovery, scientific or technical achievement, or invention in the field of optics.

The accomplishment for which the prize is given is measured chiefly by its impact on the field of optics generally, and therefore the contribution is one that opens a new era of research or significantly expands an established one.

The prize was established in 1975 to honor the many contributions that R.W. Wood made to optics. It is endowed by the Xerox Corporation.

Winners

2024

Rick Trebino

Rick Trebino

For his invention and development of techniques for the ever more complete and rigorous measurement of ultrashort light pulses, which have enabled a wide range of new applications across many fields.

2023

Alexandra Boltasseva

Alexandra Boltasseva

For groundbreaking contributions to the materials aspects of metamaterials, plasmonics, and nanophotonics

2022

Shanhui Fan

Shanhui Fan

For foundational discoveries in photonics, ranging from resonator, topological, and non-reciprocal photonics to energy applications including the discovery of daytime radiative cooling based on a new kind of energy source.

2021

Tobias J Kippenberg

Tobias J Kippenberg

for pioneering contributions to the realization of chip-scale optical frequency combs

2020

John M Dudley

John M Dudley

For elucidating the fundamental aspect of supercontinuum generation through careful study of phase stability and opening the way to compact supercontinuum sources and their numerous applications

2019

Jian-Wei Pan

Jian-Wei Pan

For pioneering experimental research at the frontier of quantum foundations and optical implementations of quantum information, including quantum nonlocality, quantum key distribution, quantum teleportation, and optical quantum computing

2018

Christopher Peter James Barty

Christopher Peter James Barty

For foundational innovations that have enabled ultrafast and energetic intense lasers around the world

2017

Michal Lipson

Michal Lipson

For pioneering research contributions in silicon photonics

2016

Kishan Dholakia

Kishan Dholakia

For pioneering research contributions into optical micromanipulation using shaped light for interdisciplinary photonics-based implementations

2015

Naomi J Halas

Naomi J Halas

By introducing nanoparticles with tunable optical resonances and the concept of Plasmon Hybridization to explain their properties, Halas and Nordlander have revolutionized our understanding of optical properties of metallic nanostructures

2015

Peter J Nordlander

Peter J Nordlander

By introducing nanoparticles with tunable optical resonances and the concept of Plasmon Hybridization to explain their properties, Halas and Nordlander have revolutionized our understanding of optical properties of metallic nanostructures

2014

Michael Bass

Michael Bass

For the discovery of optical rectification which led to the development of very wide band terahertz wave sources

2013

Milton Feng

Milton Feng

For contributions to the invention and realization of the transistor laser, delivering simultaneously both an electrical signal and a coherent laser output and providing the basis for a revolutionary new higher speed electronic-photonic integrated circuit

2012

Mansoor Sheik-Bahae

Mansoor Sheik-Bahae *

For invention, implementation and development of “Z-scan”: A simple and effective method to measure cubic and higher order optical nonlinearities

2012

Eric W Van Stryland

Eric W Van Stryland

For invention, implementation and development of “Z-scan”: A simple and effective method to measure cubic and higher order optical nonlinearities

2011

Demetrios N Christodoulides

Demetrios N Christodoulides

For contributions in nonlinear and linear beam optics which initiated new areas, among them the discovery of optical discrete solitons, Bragg and vector solitons in fibers, nonlinear surface waves, and the discovery of self-accelerating optical (Airy) beams

2010

Henry C Kapteyn

Henry C Kapteyn

For critical advances in the science and technology of high harmonics generation, with particular relevance to sub-femtosecond pulse generation and related attosecond-scale physics

2010

Margaret M Murnane

Margaret M Murnane

For critical advances in the science and technology of high harmonics generation, with particular relevance to sub-femtosecond pulse generation and related attosecond-scale physics

2009

Paul G Kwiat

Paul G Kwiat

For developing sources of polarization-entangled photons that have enabled significant advances in fundamental physics and quantum information technologies, including quantum cryptography, dense-coding, quantum teleportation, and optical quantum computation

2008

Jonathan P Heritage

Jonathan P Heritage

For pioneering contributions to the development of programmable optical pulse shaping and its applications to ultrafast optics and photonics

2008

Andrew M Weiner

Andrew M Weiner *

For pioneering contributions to the development of programmable optical pulse shaping and its applications to ultrafast optics and photonics

2007

Bahram Jalali

Bahram Jalali

For the invention and demonstration of Raman lasing in silicon

2006

Al L Efros

Al L Efros

Together with Louis E. Brus and Aleksey Ekimov, for the discovery of nanocrystal quantum dots and pioneering studies of their electronic and optical properties

2006

Aleksey Ekimov

Aleksey Ekimov

Together with Louis E. Brus and Alexander L. Efros, for the discovery of nanocrystal quantum dots and pioneering studies of their electronic and optical properties

2006

Louis E Brus

Louis E Brus

Together with Alexander L. Efros and Aleksey Ekimov, for the discovery of nanocrystal quantum dots and pioneering studies of their electronic and optical properties

2005

Masataka Nakazawa

Masataka Nakazawa

For invention of the 1.48μm InGaAsP laser-diode-pumped erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EFDA) and the development of its application to high-speed optical communications and short pulse lasers

2004

Samuel E Blum

Samuel E Blum

Together with Rangaswamy Srinivasan and James J. Wynne, for their discovery of pulsed ultraviolet laser surgery, wherein laser light cuts and etches biological tissue by photoablation with minimal collateral damage, leading to healing without significant scarring

2004

Rangaswamy Srinivasan

Rangaswamy Srinivasan

Together with James J. Wynne and Samuel E. Blum, for their discovery of pulsed ultraviolet laser surgery, wherein laser light cuts and etches biological tissue by photoablation with minimal collateral damage, leading to healing without significant scarring

2004

James J Wynne

James J Wynne

Together with Rangaswamy Srinivasan and Samuel E. Blum, for their discovery of pulsed ultraviolet laser surgery, wherein laser light cuts and etches biological tissue by photoablation with minimal collateral damage, leading to healing without significant scarring

2003

George I Stegeman

George I Stegeman *

For pioneering nonlinear integrated optics through seminal experiments and continuing leadership

2002

Pierre Meystre

Pierre Meystre

For seminal contributions to free-electron laser, cavity QED, and micromaser; and most recently, the "invention" of the new field of nonlinear atom optics

2001

Federico Capasso

Federico Capasso

For seminal contributions to the invention, demonstration and development of the quantum cascade laser, which is revolutionizing the field of infrared lasers and their applications

2000

David Egger

David Egger

For seminal contributions to confocal microscopy

2000

Paul Davidovits

Paul Davidovits

For seminal contributions to confocal microscopy

2000

Marvin Minsky

Marvin Minsky *

For seminal contributions to confocal microscopy

1999

Carl Wieman

Carl Wieman

For creative inventiveness and persistent ingenuity applied to the development of laser techniques for cooling atoms, which led to the first demonstration of Bose-Einstein condensation in an atomic vapor

1999

Eric A Cornell

Eric A Cornell

For creative inventiveness and persistent ingenuity applied to the development of laser techniques for cooling atoms, which led to the first demonstration of Bose-Einstein condensation in an atomic vapor

1998

Martin M Fejer

Martin M Fejer

For seminal contributions to quasi-phase matching and its application to nonlinear optics

1998

Robert L Byer

Robert L Byer

For seminal contributions to quasi-phase matching and its application to nonlinear optics

1997

Peter F Moulton

Peter F Moulton

For the invention of the Ti:sapphire near-infrared laser, which enabled a new era in tunable solid-state lasers and made possible all-solid-state ultra short sources

1996

Eli Yablonovitch

Eli Yablonovitch

For proposing the concept of photonic crystals and electromagnetic band structure engineering

1995

Gerard A Mourou

Gerard A Mourou

For contributions to the field of ultrafast optics, in particular for introducing the concept of chirped pulse amplification for laser systems to boost optical power peaks to unprecedented levels

1994

Dana Z Anderson

Dana Z Anderson

For pioneering work on photorefractive gain in ring resonators

1993

L. G Van Uitert

L. G Van Uitert *

For the discovery of the Nd:YAG laser and the demonstration of its usefulness as a practical solid state laser source

1993

Joseph E Geusic

Joseph E Geusic

For the discovery of the Nd:YAG laser and the demonstration of its usefulness as a practical solid state laser source

1992

Yuri N Denisyuk

Yuri N Denisyuk *

For invention of the Bragg hologram and his other contributions to holography

1991

Thomas F Deutsch

Thomas F Deutsch *

For the invention of laser photochemical deposition and the application of laser induced photochemical reactions to materials processing

1991

Richard Osgood, Jr.

Richard Osgood, Jr. *

For the invention of laser photochemical deposition and the application of laser induced photochemical reactions to materials processing

1991

Daniel Jacob Ehrlich

Daniel Jacob Ehrlich

For the invention of laser photochemical deposition and the application of laser induced photochemical reactions to materials processing

1990

Roger H Stolen

Roger H Stolen

For contributions to polarization control and nonlinear optics in fibers

1989

Daniel R Grischkowsky

Daniel R Grischkowsky *

For his distinguished contributions to the field of optical pulse propagation, particularly for his pioneering work on the use of optical fibers for generating ultrashort pulses of light

1988

David A. B. Miller

David A. B. Miller

For contributions to the understanding and applications of the nonlinear and electro-optic properties of quantum-confined semiconductor structures

1988

Daniel Chemla

Daniel Chemla *

For contributions to the understanding and applications of the nonlinear and electro-optic properties of quantum-confined semiconductor structures

1987

David E Aspnes

David E Aspnes

For a pioneering role in the development of the technique of spectroscopic ellipsometry as a probe for materials characterization

1986

Joseph A Giordmaine

Joseph A Giordmaine

For the invention and demonstration of the optical parametric oscillator, first elucidated by Lord Rayleigh in 1883

1986

Robert C Miller

Robert C Miller

For the invention and demonstration of the optical parametric oscillator, first elucidated by Lord Rayleigh in 1883

1985

David H Auston

David H Auston

For pioneering work in the field of picosecond optical electronics, and for the invention and demonstration of the picosecond optoelectronic photoconductive switch

1984

Otto Wichterle

Otto Wichterle *

For his contributions to the development of soft contact lenses

1982

Linn F Mollenauer

Linn F Mollenauer *

In recognition of his invention, development, and application of the F-center laser

1981

Erich P Ippen

Erich P Ippen

In recognition of his outstanding and pioneering work in optical subpicosecond spectroscopy: his development of mode-locking techniques for dye lasers, which have made possible the investigation of ultrashort phenomena, and his application of these techniques to studies of semiconductors, relaxation in large molecules, and studies of hemoglobin and bacteriorhodopsis

1981

Charles V Shank

Charles V Shank

In recognition of his outstanding and pioneering work in optical subpicosecond spectroscopy: his development of mode-locking techniques for dye lasers, which have made possible the investigation of ultrashort phenomena, and his application of these techniques to studies of semiconductors, relaxation in large molecules, and studies of hemoglobin and bacteriorhodopsis

1980

Anthony E Siegman

Anthony E Siegman *

In recognition of his invention, analysis, and development of the unstable optical resonator, now widely used in high-power laser systems

1979

Peter Franken

Peter Franken *

In recognition of his pioneering experimental discoveries of optical second-harmonic generation, optical mixing, and optical rectification

1977

Peter Fellgett

Peter Fellgett *

For his discovery of the multiplex advantage, which has led to the modern renaissance of Fourier-transform spectroscopy

1976

Theodore H Maiman

Theodore H Maiman *

For development of the first laser

1975

Emmett N Leith

Emmett N Leith *

In recognition of his contributions to holography, in particular his recognition of the improvement in signal-to-noise to be gained by off-axis holography and his demonstration of this method

1975

Juris Upatnieks

Juris Upatnieks

In recognition of his contributions to holography, in particular his recognition of the improvement in signal-to-noise to be gained by off-axis holography and his demonstration of this method

* Deceased

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