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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectRudolf Kompfner
Dates
May 16, 1909 – December 3, 1977
Authorized Form of Name
Kompfner, Rudolf, 1909-1977
Biography
Abstract
Physicist (integrated optics, communications satellites, optical communications) and inventor of the traveling wave tube. Research physicist at Birmingham University (1941-1944), Oxford University's Clarendon Laboratory (1944-1951), Bell Laboratories (1952-1973) and on the faculties of both Stanford University and Oxford University (1973-1977).
Important Dates
May 16, 1909Birth, Vienna (Austria).
1933Obtained Diplom, Vienna Technical University (Technische Hochschule Wien), Vienna (Austria).
1934 – 1936Architectural Apprentice, P. D. Hepworth, London (England).
1936 – 1941Architect, Franey and Sons, London (England).
1941 – 1950Principal Scientific Officer (1941-1946) and Distinguished Scientist (1946-1950), British Admiralty.
1951Obtained DPhil in Physics, Oxford University, Oxford (England).
1951 – 1973Member, Technical Staff (1951-1955); Director, Electronics Research (1955-1957); Director, Electronics and Radio Research (1957-1962); and Associate Executive Director of Research and Communications Sciences (1962-1973), Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill (N.J.).
1968Member, National Academy of Sciences.
1973 – 1976Professor of Engineering, Oxford University.
1974Awarded National Medal of Science.
1974 – 1977Professor of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford (Calif.).
December 3, 1977Death, Stanford (Calif.).
Occupation
Integrated optician.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Kompfner, Bernhardt
Father.
Kompfner, Paula
Mother.
Kompfner, Peggy Mason
Wife.
Advisors & Collaborators
Fuchs, Wolfgang H. J. (Wolfgang Heinrich Johannes), 1915-1997
Co-wrote a paper on space charge effects in velocity modulated electron beams.
Colleagues
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.), 1923-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Stanford University.
Both employed at Stanford University.
Birgeneau, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1942-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Bode, Hendrik W. (Hendrik Wade), 1905-1982
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Brattain, Walter H. (Walter Houser), 1902-1987
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Brinkman, William F. (William Frank), 1938-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Buckley, Oliver Ellsworth, 1887-1959
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Byer, R. L. (Robert L.), 1942-
Both employed at Stanford University.
Both employed at Stanford University.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Fisk, James B. (James Brown), 1910-1981
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories and Stanford University.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Herring, William Conyers, 1914-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Kraichnan, Robert H., 1928-2008
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Lee, P. A. (Patrick A.), 1946-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Pearson, Gerald L. (Gerald Leondus)
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Richards, Paul L. (Paul Linford)
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Schawlow, Arthur L., 1921-1999
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories and Stanford University.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Thomas, D. G. (David Gilbert), 1928-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Tsui, D. C. (Daniel Chee), 1939-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Additional
Bleaney, B. (Brebis)
Gordon, James P.
Kogelnik, Herwig W.
Pierce, John R. (John Robinson), 1910-2002
Scovil, Henry Evelyn Derrick, 1923-
Siegman, A. E.
Weber, J. (Joseph), 1919-2000
Institutions
Major Positions
Member, Technical Staff; Director, Electronics Research; Director, Electronics and Radio Research; and Associate Executive Director of Research and Communications Sciences.
Great Britain. Admiralty
Principal Scientific Officer and Distinguished Scientist.
Stanford University. Department of Applied Physics
Professor of Applied Physics.
University of Oxford. Department of Engineering
Professor of Engineering.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Member.
Technische Hochschule Wien
Obtained Diplom in 1933.
University of Oxford. Department of Physics
Obtained DPhil in 1951.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Rudolf Kompfner papers, 1937-1981.
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Stanford University
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Rudolf Kompfner papers.
AT& T Archives and History Center
AT& T Inc.
5 Reinman Road, Warren, NJ 07060, USA
University-industry interactions [sound recording], 1973.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Subject
AT&T Archives and History Center records, 1869- present.
AT& T Archives and History Center
AT & T Archives and History Center
4949 Von Scheele, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA
History of traveling wave tubes [videorecording] / Taped at Hughes Aircraft Co., Canoga Park, CA ; 1983 April 7.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Anthony Edward Siegman, 1984 January 23 and 1986 August 19.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Arno A. Penzias, 2006 January 19, March 21 and 22.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Brebis Bleaney, 1982 January 15.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Henry Evelyn Derik Scovil, 1983 July 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 Gordon, 1986 October 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with John Robinson Pierce, 1979 April 16-27.
Institute Archives
California Institute of Technology
1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
Oral history interview with Joseph Weber, 1983 April 8.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Nicolaas Bloembergen, 1983 June 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
The invention of the traveling-wave tube.
Subject
Rudolf Kompfner Physics Today obituary.
Rudolf Kompfner: 1909-1977, Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences