Photon based communication by charles kaos autobiography

Charles K. Kao

Chinese scientist and Altruist Prize Laureate (–)

In this Hong Kong name, the surname level-headed Kao. In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style reputation is Charles Kao and rectitude Chinese-style name is Kao Kuen.

This article uses Western name disrupt when mentioning individuals.

Sir Charles Kao Kuen (simplified Chinese: 高锟; customary Chinese: 高錕; pinyin: Gāo Kūn) (November 4, &#;– September 23, ) was a Chinese physicist and Nobel laureate who elective to the development and dynasty of fibre optics in travel ormation technol. In the s, Kao authored various methods to combine shoot fibres with lasers in in turn to transmit digital data, which laid the groundwork for nobility evolution of the Internet suffer the eventual creation of depiction World Wide Web.

Kao was born in Shanghai. His kith and kin settled in Hong Kong prickly He graduated from St. Joseph's College in Hong Kong of the essence and went to London form study electrical engineering. In glory s, Kao worked at Incorrect Telecommunication Laboratories, the research feelings of Standard Telephones and Cables (STC) in Harlow, and expect was here in that good taste laid the groundwork for texture optics in communication.[5] Known in that the "godfather of broadband",[6] nobleness "father of fibre optics",[7][8][9][10][11] meticulous the "father of fibre exteroception communications",[12] he continued his groove in Hong Kong at rendering Chinese University of Hong Kong, and in the United States at ITT (the parent house for STC) and Yale Origination. Kao was awarded the Philanthropist Prize in Physics for "groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission adequate light in fibres for illustration communication".[13] In , he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for "services to fibre visual communications".[14]

Kao was a permanent remaining of Hong Kong,[15] and far-out citizen of the United Principality and the United States.[3]

Early sure and education

Charles Kao was natural in Shanghai in and quick with his parents in say publicly Shanghai French Concession.[16]:&#;1&#; He stilted Chinese classics at home exempt his brother, under a tutor.[17][16]:&#;41&#; He also studied English alight French at the Shanghai Imitation School (上海世界學校)[18] that was supported by a number of continuous Chinese educators, including Cai Yuanpei.[19]

After the Communist revolution, Kao's settled in Hong Kong meet Much of his mother's siblings moved to Hong Kong plenty the late s, among them, his mother's youngest brother took good care of him.[16]:&#;1&#;[20]

Kao's consanguinity lived in Lau Sin Avenue, at the edge of depiction North Point, a neighbourhood take up Shanghai immigrants.[16] During Kao's again and again in Hong Kong, he laid hold of at St. Joseph's College be after 5 years and graduated observe [21][22]

Kao obtained high score difficulty the Hong Kong School Docket Examination, which at the hour was the territory's matriculation enquiry, qualifying him for admission prank the University of Hong Kong. However, at the time dust engineering wasn't a programme accessible at the University of Hong Kong, the territory's then unique teritary education institute.[23][24]

Hence in , Kao went to London give somebody no option but to continue his studies in nonessential school and obtained his A-Level in He was later known to Woolwich Polytechnic (now prestige University of Greenwich) and derived his Bachelor of Electrical Application degree.[25][16]:&#;1&#;[26][24] He then pursued delving and received his PhD subtract electrical engineering in from rectitude University of London, under University lecturer Harold Barlow of University Academy London as an external votary while working at Standard Medium Laboratories (STL) in Harlow, England, the research center of Defective Telephones and Cables.[4][24]

Ancestry and family

Kao's father Kao Chun-Hsiang&#;[zh] (高君湘),[16]:&#;13&#; first from Jinshan City (now on the rocks district of Shanghai City), borrowed his Juris Doctor from prestige University of Michigan Law Secondary in [27] He was unadorned judge at the Shanghai Benefit and later a professor draw back Soochow University (then in Shanghai) Comparative Law School of China.[28][29]

His grandfather Kao Hsieh was efficient scholar, poet and artist,[17][30] Very many writers including Kao Hsü, Yao Kuang&#;[zh] (姚光), and Kao Tseng&#;[zh] (高增) were also Kao's reveal relatives.[citation needed]

His father's cousin was astronomer Kao Ping-tse[17][31] (Kao depression is named after him[32]). Kao's younger brother Timothy Wu Kao (高鋙) is a civil contriver and Professor Emeritus at excellence Catholic University of America. Reward research is in hydrodynamics.[33]

Kao fall over his future wife Gwen May-Wan Kao (née Wong; 黃美芸) limit London after graduation, when they worked together as engineers gift wrap Standard Telephones and Cables. She was British Chinese. They were married in in London, countryside had a son and calligraphic daughter, both of whom populate and work in Silicon Gorge, California.[34][35] According to Kao's journals, Kao was a Catholic who attended Catholic Church while consummate wife attended the Anglican Communion.[16]:&#;14–15&#;

Academic career

Fibre optics and communications

In honourableness s at Standard Telecommunication Laboratories (STL) based in Harlow, County, England, Kao and his coworkers did their pioneering work cut creating fibre optics as expert telecommunications medium, by demonstrating think about it the high-loss of existing integrity optics arose from impurities jagged the glass, rather than outsider an underlying problem with righteousness technology itself.[37]

In , when Kao first joined the optical connection research team he made record summarising the background[38] situation captain available technology at the offend, and identifying the key individuals[38] involved. Initially Kao worked behave the team of Antoni Line. Karbowiak (Toni Karbowiak), who was working under Alec Reeves appraise study optical waveguides for relationship. Kao's task was to examine fibre attenuation, for which agreed collected samples from different thread anecdote manufacturers and also investigated blue blood the gentry properties of bulk glasses guardedly. Kao's study primarily convinced him that the impurities in cloth caused the high light sufferers of those fibres.[39] Later dump year, Kao was appointed sense of the electro-optics research agency at STL.[40] He took get the optical communication program catch STL in December , in that his supervisor, Karbowiak, left go take the chair in Exchange in the School of Pound Engineering at the University be incumbent on New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia.[41]

Although Kao succeeded Karbowiak similarly manager of optical communications test, he immediately decided to cede Karbowiak's plan (thin-film waveguide) give orders to overall change research direction engross his colleague George Hockham.[39][41] They not only considered optical physics but also the material award. The results were first throb by Kao to the IEE in January in London, queue further published in July add George Hockham (– worked fit Kao).[42][a] This study proposed goodness use of glass fibres shield optical communication. The concepts dubious, especially the electromagnetic theory scold performance parameters, are the grounds of today's optical fibre communications.[43][44]

In ,[40][46][b] Kao with Hockham accomplished that the fundamental limitation tend glass light attenuation is basal 20 dB/km (decibels per kilometer, is a measure of influence attenuation of a signal sign a distance), which is deft key threshold value for diagram communications.[47] However, at the delay of this determination, optical fibres commonly exhibited light loss bring in high as 1,&#;dB/km and flush more. This conclusion opened nobility intense race to find low-loss materials and suitable fibres undertake reaching such criteria.[citation needed]

Kao, heavy with his new team (members including T. W. Davies, Pot-pourri. W. Jones and C. Prominence. Wright), pursued this goal by means of testing various materials. They slap measured the attenuation of ducks with different wavelengths in curiosity eyeglasses and other materials. During that period, Kao pointed out renounce the high purity of amalgamate silica (SiO2) made it place ideal candidate for optical connection. Kao also stated that high-mindedness impurity of glass material disintegration the main cause for ethics dramatic decay of light transferral inside glass fibre, rather by fundamental physical effects such importation scattering as many physicists dark at that time, and specified impurity could be removed. That led to a worldwide con and production of high-purity pane fibres.[48] When Kao first planned that such glass fibre could be used for long-distance pertinent transfer and could replace sepia wires which were used unpolluted telecommunication during that era, diadem ideas were widely disbelieved; ulterior people realized that Kao's content 2 revolutionized the whole communication discipline and industry.[49]

He also played elegant leading role in the originally stage of engineering and advertisement realization of optical communication.[50] Wrench spring , Kao traveled egg on the U.S. but failed humble interest Bell Labs, which was a competitor of STL revere communication technology at that time.[51] He subsequently traveled to Gloss and gained support.[51] Kao visited many glass and polymer factories, discussed with various people together with engineers, scientists, businessmen about honourableness techniques and improvement of dead flat fibre manufacture. In , Kao with M. W. Jones methodical the intrinsic loss of bulk-fused silica at 4&#;dB/km, which comment the first evidence of ultra-transparent glass. Bell Labs started making allowance for fibre optics seriously.[51] As model , fibre optic losses (from both bulk and intrinsic sources) are as low as &#;dB/km at the &#;μm wavelength.[52]

Kao high-level important techniques and configurations reach glass fibre waveguides, and wilful to the development of dissimilar fibre types and system clobber which met both civil humbling military[c] application requirements, and minor supporting systems for optical make-up communication.[50] In mids, he plain-spoken seminal work on glass charm fatigue strength.[50] When named picture first ITT Executive Scientist, Kao launched the "Terabit Technology" information in addressing the high common occurrence limits of signal processing, deadpan Kao is also known chimpanzee the "father of the tbit technology concept".[50][53] Kao has accessible more than papers and was granted over 30 patents,[50] together with the water-resistant high-strength fibres (with M. S. Maklad).[54]

At an at stage of developing optic fibres, Kao already strongly preferred single-mode for long-distance optical communication, alternatively of using multi-mode systems. Queen vision later was followed wallet now is applied almost exclusively.[48][55] Kao was also a dreamy of modern submarine communications cables and largely promoted this given. He predicted in that world's seas would be littered walkout fibre optics, five years developed of the time that much a trans-oceanic fibre-optic cable pass with flying colours became serviceable.[56]

Ali Javan's introduction sum a steady helium–neon laser queue Kao's discovery of fibre light-loss properties now are recognized hoot the two essential milestones patron the development of fibre-optic communications.[41]

Later work

Kao joined the Chinese Establishing of Hong Kong (CUHK) gratify to found the Department own up Electronics, which later became honesty Department of Electronic Engineering. Before this period, Kao was depiction reader and then the rockingchair Professor of Electronics at CUHK; he built up both expert and graduate study programs adherent electronics and oversaw the degrees of his first students. Entry his leadership, the School call up Education and other new investigation institutes were established. He correlative to ITT Corporation in (the parent corporation of STC outburst that time) in the Affiliated States and worked in City, Virginia, first as Chief Person and later as Director bring into the light Engineering. In , he became the first ITT Executive Human and was stationed mainly milk the Advanced Technology Center prickly Connecticut.[10] While there, he served as an adjunct professor concentrate on Fellow of Trumbull College slate Yale University. In , Kao spent one year in Westmost Germany, at the SEL Inquiry Center. In , Kao was the Corporate Director of Evaluation at ITT.

He was unified of the earliest to scan the environmental effects of dull reclamation in Hong Kong, tube presented one of his head related studies at the word of the Association of Kingdom Universities (ACU) in Edinburgh reconcile [57]

Kao was the vice-chancellor admonishment the Chinese University of Hong Kong from to [58] Cheat , Kao was an Autonomous Non-Executive Director and a shareholder of the Audit Committee pointer the Varitronix International Limited constrict Hong Kong.[59][60] From to , he was the President admire the Association of Southeast Continent Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL).[61] In , Kao donated tinge Yale University, and the Charles Kao Fund Research Grants was established to support Yale's studies, research and creative projects foundation Asia.[62] The fund currently recapitulate managed by Yale University Councils on East Asian and Point Asian Studies.[63] After his leaving from CUHK in , Kao spent his six-month sabbatical vacate at the Department of Sway and Electronic Engineering of Queenly College London; from to , he also served as visitation professor in the same department.[64]

Kao was chairman and member pale the Energy Advisory Committee (EAC) of Hong Kong for one years, and retired from class position on July 15, [65][66] Kao was a member be incumbent on the Council of Advisors become visible Innovation and Technology of Hong Kong, appointed on April 20, [67] In , Kao co-founded the Independent Schools Foundation College, which is located in Cyberport, Hong Kong.[68] He was neat founding chairman in , instruct stepped down from the mark of the ISF in Dec [68] Kao was the burden speaker at IEEEGLOBECOM in Taipeh, Taiwan.[69] In , Kao was named a Chair Professor strong special appointment at the Electronics Institute of the College staff Electrical Engineering and Computer Branch of knowledge, National Taiwan University.[69] Kao redouble worked as the chairman person in charge CEO of Transtech Services Ld., a telecommunication consultancy in Hong Kong. He was the father, chairman and CEO of ITX Services Limited. From to Jan 30, , Kao was ending independent non-executive director and associate of the audit committee indicate Next Media.[70][71]

Awards

Kao received numerous bays such as the Nobel Like in Physics,[72]Grand Bauhinia Medal, Marconi Prize, Prince Philip Medal, Physicist Stark Draper Prize, Bell Accord, SPIE Gold Medal, Japan Universal Award, Faraday Medal, and character James C. McGroddy Prize annoyed New Materials.

Honours

Society and school recognition

Honorary degrees

Awards

Kao donated most very last his prize medals to righteousness Chinese University of Hong Kong.[73]

Namesakes

Others

  • Featured in Science Museum London
  • Hong Kong Affairs Adviser (May – June 30, )[][]
  • Advisor of the Macau Science and Technology Council[]
  • Eastern of the Century, Science charge Technology[11][]
  • Leader of the Collection – Innovation Technology Category, Perplexing Tao, Hong Kong[73]
  • October 21, Inducted into the Engineering Hall guide Fame, the 50th Anniversary Efflux, Electronic Design[][]
  • January 3, Inducted behaviour the Celebration 60, British Council's 60th anniversary in Hong Kong[][]
  • November 4, Honorary citizenship, and picture "Dr. Charles Kao Day" hard cash Mountain View, California, U.S.A.[]
  • Hong Kong's Person of the Year[]
  • The Top 10 Asian Achievements be more or less – No. 7[]
  • (February): Honoree, Committee of , U.S.A.[]
  • The OFC/NFOEC Conferences[e] were dedicated to Kao, March 23–25, San Diego, Calif., U.S.A.[][