Ali Javan

Biography

Abstract

Ph.D. in Physics, Columbia University in 1954. Member of technical staff, Bell Telephone Laboratories, 1959-1962; Professor of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1962-present; Founder and Chief Scientist, Laser Science Inc., 1981-present. Retired in 1996.

Important Dates

December 27, 1926Birth, Tehran (Iran).

1950Obtained A.B., Columbia University, New York (N.Y.).

1954Obtained Ph.D. in Physics, Columbia University, New York (N.Y.).

1959 – 1962Member, Technical Staff, Bell Telephone Laboratories.

1962 – presentAssociate Professor to Professor of Physics (1962-1978); Francis Wright Professor (1978-1996); and Professor Emeritus of Physics (1996-present), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).

1974Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1975Awarded Frederic Ives Medal, Optical Society of America (OSA).

1981 – presentFounder and Chief Scientist, Laser Science Inc, Franklin (Mass.).

Occupation

Quantum electronics physicist.

Places

Birth

Tehran (Iran)

Undergraduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Graduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Employment

New York (N.Y.)

Cambridge (Mass.)

Franklin (Mass.)

Subjects

Lasers.

Masers.

Quantum electronics.

Relationships

People

Family

Javan, Lila

Daughter.

Javan, Maia

Daughter.

Javan, Marjorie Browning

Wife, married in 1962.

Advisors & Collaborators

Bennett, William R. (William Ralph), 1904-

Co-developed and built the first gas laser.

Feld, Michael S., 1940-

Advised by Javan at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Herman, Irving P.

Advised by Javan at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Thomas, John E.

Advised by Javan at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Townes, Charles H.

Ph.D. advisor at Columbia University on microwave absorption spectra. Both employed at Columbia University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Colleagues

Al'tshuler, B. L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.), 1923-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Ashkin, Arthur, 1922-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Benedek, George Bernard, 1928-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bertsch, George F.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Birgeneau, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1942-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bitter, Francis, 1902-1967

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bode, Hendrik W. (Hendrik Wade), 1905-1982

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Boehm, Felix

Both employed at Columbia University.

Booth, Eugene

Both employed at Columbia University.

Boyle, Willard S., 1924-2011

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Brattain, Walter H. (Walter Houser), 1902-1987

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Brillouin, Léon, 1889-1969

Both employed at Columbia University.

Buchsbaum, Solomon J.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Buechner, William W. (William Weber), 1914-1985

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Chynoweth, A. G.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Clogston, Albert McCavour

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Coppi, B.

Both employed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Cummins, Herman Z., 1933-

Both employed at Columbia University.

Cutler, Cassius Chapin

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Darlington, Sidney, 1906-1997

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

David, Edward E.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Davidson, Ronald C.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Davis, Bergen, 1869-1958

Both employed at Columbia University.

Deutsch, Martin, 1917-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dresselhaus, M. S.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dunning, John R. (John Ray), 1907-1975

Both employed at Columbia University.

Enge, Harald A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Feher, George, 1924-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Feinberg, Gerald, 1933-

Both employed at Columbia University.

Feshbach, Herman

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Fisk, James B. (James Brown), 1910-1981

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Foley, Henry Michael, 1917-1982

Both employed at Columbia University.

Freedman, Daniel Z.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Friedman, Jerome I. (Jerome Isaac), 1930-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Frosch, Robert A. (Robert Alan), 1928-

Both employed at Columbia University.

Geballe, Theodore H.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Glimm, James

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Goldhaber, Gerson

Both employed at Columbia University.

Goldstone, Jeff Alan

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Gossard, A. C.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Guth, Alan H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Hagstrum, Homer D.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Haroche, S.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Henley, Ernest M.

Both employed at Columbia University.

Herring, William Conyers, 1914-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Jackiw, Roman W.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Joannopoulos, J. D. (John D.), 1947-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kaspi, Victoria Michelle, 1967-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kastner, Marc A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kelly, Mervin Joe

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Kendall, Henry W. (Henry Way), 1926-1999

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Ketterle, Wolfgang

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Keyes, Frederick G. (Frederick George), 1885-1976

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kinoshita, T. (Toichiro)

Both employed at Columbia University.

Kleppner, Daniel

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kompfner, Rudolf, 1909-1977

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Kraichnan, Robert H., 1928-2008

Both employed at Columbia University.

Kraushaar, William L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kroll, Norman Myles, 1922-

Both employed at Columbia University.

Kusch, Polykarp, 1911-1993

Both employed at Columbia University.

Lander, James J., 1914-1996

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Lax, Benjamin

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Lax, Melvin J.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Lederman, Leon M.

Both employed at Columbia University.

Lee, P. A. (Patrick A.), 1946-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Lee, T. D., 1926-

Both employed at Columbia University.

Lieb, Elliott H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Mandelstam, Stanley

Both employed at Columbia University.

Matthias, Bernd T., 1918-1980

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Moniz, E.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Morrison, Philip

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Morse, Philip M. (Philip McCord), 1903-1985

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Novick, Robert

Both employed at Columbia University.

Orowan, E. (Egon), 1902-1989

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Page, Lyman A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Patel, C. Kumar N.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Pearson, Gerald L. (Gerald Leondus)

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Pegram, George Braxton, 1876-1958

Both employed at Columbia University.

Penzias, Arno A.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Pfann, William G.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Phillips, William D. (William Daniel), 1948-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Porkolab, Miklos

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Rabi, I. I. (Isidor Isaac), 1898-1988

Both employed at Columbia University.

Rainwater, L. James (Leo James), 1917-1986

Both employed at Columbia University.

Randall, Lisa

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Raney, William P.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Read, Nicholas

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Richards, Paul L. (Paul Linford)

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Rossi, Bruno, 1905-1993

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Rowell, John Martin, 1935-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Ruderman, Malvin A.

Both employed at Columbia University.

Sachs, Allan M. (Allan Maxwell), 1921-1989

Both employed at Columbia University.

Samios, Nicholas P.

Both employed at Columbia University.

Sarachik, Myriam P.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Schawlow, Arthur L., 1921-1999

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Schwartz, Melvin, 1932-2006

Both employed at Columbia University.

Serber, R. (Robert)

Both employed at Columbia University.

Shull, Clifford Glenwood

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Slater, John C. (John Clarke), 1900-1976

Both employed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Smith, George E., 1930-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Stanley, H. Eugene (Harry Eugene), 1941-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Steinberger, J.

Both employed at Columbia University.

Stillinger, F. H.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Stratton, Julius Adams, 1901-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Thomas, D. G. (David Gilbert), 1928-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Thomas, Llewellyn Hilleth, 1903-1992

Both employed at Columbia University.

Ting, S. C. C. (Samuel Chao-chung), 1936-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weiss, Rainer

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Wiesner, Jerome B. (Jerome Bert), 1915-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Wilczek, Frank

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Wu, C. S. (Chien-shiung), 1912-1997

Both employed at Columbia University.

Yariv, Amnon

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Additional

Faust, Walter Luck, 1934-

Giordmaine, Joseph Anthony

Gordon, Eugene I., 1930-

Hänsch, T. W. (Theo W.), 1941-

Helmer, John (John C.)

Herriott, Donald R., 1928-

Kogelnik, Herwig W.

Millman, S. (Sidney), 1904-2006

Wittke, James P.

Institutions

Major Positions

Bell Telephone Laboratories

Member, Technical staff.

Columbia University. Department of Physics

Received A.B. in 1950 and Ph.D. in 1954 and Research Associate in Physics.

Laser Science Inc.

Founder and Chief Scientist.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Associate Professor to Professor of Physics; Francis Wright Professor; and Professor Emeritus of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

American Physical Society

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Optical Society of America

Society of the Sigma Xi

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

Donald R. Herriott response to Laser History Project Survey, a. 1984.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Jeff Hecht laser pioneer interviews, 1984-1991.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

John Helmer response to Laser History Project Survey, 1986.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Eugene I. Gordon, 1984 June 3 & 5.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Herwig Kogelnik, 1986 May 2.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with James Pleister Wittke, 1983 September 13.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Joseph Giordmaine, 2007 October 10.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Sidney Millman, 1984 June 5.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with William R. Bennett, 1987 October 26.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Walter Faust response to Laser History Project Survey, 1983.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

William R. Bennett papers, 1922-circa 1988 (bulk 1958-1996).

Manuscript Division

Library of Congress

James Madison Memorial Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA