Herwig Kogelnik

Herwig Kogelnik
Born	(1932-06-02) June 2, 1932 (age 92) Graz, Austria
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Vienna University of Technology, Oxford University
Awards	National Medal of Technology (2006) IEEE Medal of Honor (2001) Marconi Prize (2001) IEEE David Sarnoff Award (1989) Frederic Ives Medal (1984) J. J. von Prechtl Medal IEEE Quantum Electronics Award
Scientific career
Fields	Electrical engineering
Institutions	Bell Labs, Alcatel-Lucent

Herwig Kogelnik (born June 2, 1932) is an Austrian-American electrical and optical engineer. He is best known for his fundamental contributions to the developments in laser technology, optoelectronics, photonics and lightwave communications systems. His work over a 40-year career at Bell Labs earned him the Marconi Prize, the IEEE Medal of Honor, the National Medal of Technology and many other awards.

In a series of papers in the early 1960s, he developed the theory of stable optical resonators, which has been fundamental to laser developments ever since. He then turned to the applications of holograms to optical systems, developing with some of his colleagues the basic theory of thick holograms that led to the development of a whole range of optical components, including filters and couplers to integrated optical devices. His innovation was the beginning of the "distributed feedback laser." He also contributed the development of wavelength-division multiplexing.^[1]

Kogelnik was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1978 for contributions to the understanding of optical propagation modes, thick film holography, and invention of the distributed feedback laser.