NICK HOLONYAK (1928 - Present)
Nick Holonyak was born on November 3, 1928 in Zeigler, Illinois. Both of his parents were immigrants from Eastern Europe and his father worked in a coal mine. In 1947, Nick went to the University of Illinois Urbana campus and entered as a sophomore. Then, he achieved his bachelors degree in 1950 and his masters in 1951. He joined a class in atomic physics and semiconductor and had John Bardeen as his teacher. In 1952, Nick became John’s first graduating student. He got his PhD in 1954 then went to work at Bell Labs in New Jersey. In 1957, He went to work for General Electric in NY.
He got the idea that gallium arsenide phosphide would emit a visible red light. Then, he demonstrated his findings and created the first visible spectrum light-emitting diode aka the LED in 1962. Later on in 1977, Nick created the quantum-well laser which made fiber optic communications, compact disc players, and new techniques in medical surgery possible. In 1980, He created the impurity-induced layer disordering or the IILD which then made DVD players and CD-RAM drives. Today, Nick Holonyak is still alive and he is 86 years old.
He got the idea that gallium arsenide phosphide would emit a visible red light. Then, he demonstrated his findings and created the first visible spectrum light-emitting diode aka the LED in 1962. Later on in 1977, Nick created the quantum-well laser which made fiber optic communications, compact disc players, and new techniques in medical surgery possible. In 1980, He created the impurity-induced layer disordering or the IILD which then made DVD players and CD-RAM drives. Today, Nick Holonyak is still alive and he is 86 years old.