Arthur Ashkin
| Arthur Ashkin | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 2, 1922 Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Fields | Physics |
| Institutions | Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies |
| Alma mater | Columbia University, Cornell University |
Arthur Ashkin (born September 2, 1922) is an American scientist who worked at Bell Laboratories and Lucent Technologies. He started his work on manipulation of microparticles with laser light in the late 1960s which resulted in the invention of optical tweezers in 1986. He also pioneered the optical trapping process that eventually was used to manipulate atoms, molecules, and biological cells. The key phenomenon is the radiation pressure of light; this pressure can be dissected down into optical gradient and scattering forces. Ashkin has been considered by many as the father of the topical field of optical tweezers.
Ashkin's work formed the basis for Steven Chu's work on cooling and trapping atoms, which earned Chu the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics.
Within various professional society memberships, Ashkin attained the rating of fellow in the Optical Society of America (OSA), the American Physical Society (APS), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He retired from Bell Labs in 1992 after a 40-year career during which he contributed to many areas of experimental physics. He authored many research papers over the years and holds 47 patents. He was recipient of the Harvey Prize in 2004 and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1984 and to the National Academy of Sciences in 1996. Currently, he continues work in his home lab.
Besides optical tweezers, Ashkin is also known for his studies in photorefraction, second harmonic generation, and non-linear optics in fibers.
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