David Richardson (physicist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Richardson
FRS FREng
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Richardson in 2018
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| Born |
David John Richardson
1964 (age 60–61) |
| Education | Taunton’s College |
| Alma mater | University of Sussex |
| Awards | Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award (2013); John Tyndall Award (2024); IEEE Photonics Award (2025) |
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| Institutions | Microsoft, University of Southampton |
| Thesis | The production of, and experiments with, monochromatic ultra cold neutrons (1989) |
David John Richardson, born in 1964, is a British scientist who studies light and electronics. He is a special member of the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Currently, he works as a Partner Researcher at Microsoft in the UK. There, he leads research on a cool technology called hollow core optical fiber. This new type of fiber guides light through an air-filled center, not solid glass. Before joining Microsoft, he worked for 34 years at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton. At the ORC, he was a Professor and helped lead the Fibre and Laser Group. He made many important discoveries about advanced optical fibers and lasers.
Learning and School
David Richardson went to St George’s Roman Catholic School in Southampton. He also studied at Taunton’s College. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Science, and his advanced degree, a PhD, in Physics. He completed both degrees at the University of Sussex in 1989. A PhD means he did a lot of deep research in his chosen field.
Work and Discoveries
David Richardson is a leader in the field of photonics. Photonics is the science of light. He is especially known for his work on fibre optics and how they are used. He has been key in finding ways to increase how much data future optical communication networks can carry. This helps keep up with our growing need for faster internet speed.
Super-Fast Internet Fibers
He has created very high-performance optical fibres. These fibers can send huge amounts of data across the internet very quickly. Imagine how much faster your games or streaming videos could be!
Powerful Lasers
Richardson was also one of the first to show how useful small, flexible, pulsed fiber lasers could be. These lasers can work with different power levels and pulse lengths. Over many years, he has made fiber lasers much better. This has helped them become popular and used in many products. His work also includes fibers that can deliver very strong laser light. This powerful light is used in factories for things like cutting and shaping materials.
