R. W. Wood Prize
Established in 1975 to honor the many contributions that R.W. Wood made to optics, this award 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. It is endowed by the Xerox Corporation.
View the current R. W. Wood Prize Selection Committee.
Winners
2018 -
Christopher Peter James Barty
[Citation]
For foundational innovations that have enabled ultrafast and energetic intense lasers around the world
2016 -
Kishan Dholakia
[Citation]
For pioneering research contributions into optical micromanipulation using shaped light for interdisciplinary photonics-based implementations
2015 -
Peter J. Nordlander
[Citation]
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 -
Naomi J. Halas
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
For the discovery of optical rectification which led to the development of very wide band terahertz wave sources
2013 -
Milton Feng
[Citation]
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 -
Eric W Van Stryland
[Citation]
For invention, implementation and development of “Z-scan”: A simple and effective method to measure cubic and higher order optical nonlinearities
2012 -
Mansoor Sheik-Bahae
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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 -
Andrew M. Weiner
[Citation]
For pioneering contributions to the development of programmable optical pulse shaping and its applications to ultrafast optics and photonics
2008 -
Jonathan P. Heritage
No citation available
2007 -
Bahram Jalali
[Citation]
For the invention and demonstration of Raman lasing in silicon
2006 -
Al L. Efros
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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 -
Rangaswamy Srinivasan
[Citation]
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 -
Samuel E Blum
[Citation]
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 -
James J. Wynne
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
For pioneering nonlinear integrated optics through seminal experiments and continuing leadership
2002 -
Pierre Meystre
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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 -
Marvin Minsky
[Citation]
For seminal contributions to confocal microscopy
2000 -
David Egger
[Citation]
For seminal contributions to confocal microscopy
2000 -
Paul Davidovits
[Citation]
For seminal contributions to confocal microscopy
1999 -
Eric A. Cornell
[Citation]
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 -
Carl Wieman
[Citation]
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 -
Robert L. Byer
[Citation]
For seminal contributions to quasi-phase matching and its application to nonlinear optics
1998 -
Martin M. Fejer
[Citation]
For seminal contributions to quasi-phase matching and its application to nonlinear optics
1997 -
Peter F Moulton
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
For proposing the concept of photonic crystals and electromagnetic band structure engineering
1995 -
Gérard A Mourou
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
For pioneering work on photorefractive gain in ring resonators
1993 -
Joseph E. Geusic
[Citation]
For the discovery of the Nd:YAG laser and the demonstration of its usefulness as a practical solid state laser source
1993 -
L. G. Van Uitert
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
For invention of the Bragg hologram and his other contributions to holography
1991 -
Thomas F. Deutsch
[Citation]
For the invention of laser photochemical deposition and the application of laser induced photochemical reactions to materials processing
1991 -
Richard M. Osgood, Jr.
[Citation]
For the invention of laser photochemical deposition and the application of laser induced photochemical reactions to materials processing
1991 -
Daniel Jacob Ehrlich
[Citation]
For the invention of laser photochemical deposition and the application of laser induced photochemical reactions to materials processing
1990 -
Roger H. Stolen
[Citation]
For contributions to polarization control and nonlinear optics in fibers
1989 -
Daniel R Grischkowsky
[Citation]
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 -
Daniel Chemla
[Citation]
For contributions to the understanding and applications of the nonlinear and electro-optic properties of quantum-confined semiconductor structures
1988 -
David A. B. Miller
[Citation]
For contributions to the understanding and applications of the nonlinear and electro-optic properties of quantum-confined semiconductor structures
1987 -
David E. Aspnes
[Citation]
For a pioneering role in the development of the technique of spectroscopic ellipsometry as a probe for materials characterization
1986 -
Joseph A. Giordmaine
[Citation]
For the invention and demonstration of the optical parametric oscillator, first elucidated by Lord Rayleigh in 1883
1986 -
Robert C. Miller
[Citation]
For the invention and demonstration of the optical parametric oscillator, first elucidated by Lord Rayleigh in 1883
1985 -
David H Auston
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
For his contributions to the development of soft contact lenses
1983 -
Sven R. Hartmann
No citation available
1982 -
Linn F. Mollenauer
[Citation]
In recognition of his invention, development, and application of the F-center laser.
1981 -
Charles V Shank
[Citation]
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 -
Erich P. Ippen
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
In recognition of his invention, analysis, and development of the unstable optical resonator, now widely used in high-power laser systems.
1979 -
Peter Franken
[Citation]
In recognition of his pioneering experimental discoveries of optical second-harmonic generation, optical mixing, and optical rectification.
1978 -
Peter P. Sorokin
No citation available
1977 -
Peter Fellgett
[Citation]
For his discovery of the multiplex advantage, which has led to the modern renaissance of Fourier-transform spectroscopy
1976 -
Theodore H. Maiman
[Citation]
For development of the first laser
1975 -
Emmett N. Leith
[Citation]
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
[Citation]
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