John L. Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Lewis Hall
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Hall at the 2012 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
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| Born | August 21, 1934 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Carnegie Institute of Technology |
| Known for | Optical frequency comb Optical clock Pound–Drever–Hall technique |
| Awards | Department of Commerce Gold Medal (1969) Nobel Prize in Physics (2005) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Institutions | University of Colorado Boulder, JILA, NIST |
| Thesis | Electron spin resonance of interstitial hydrogen atoms in calcium-fluoride (1962) |
| Doctoral students | Jun Ye |
John Lewis "Jan" Hall (born August 21, 1934) is a famous American physicist. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2005. He shared this big award with Theodor W. Hänsch and Roy Glauber. They were honored for their amazing work with lasers, especially for making very precise measurements of light.
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About John L. Hall
John Hall was born in Denver, Colorado. He earned three degrees from the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He received his bachelor's degree in 1956, his master's in 1958, and his Ph.D. in 1961.
After finishing his studies, he worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This is a government agency that helps set standards for measurements. He worked there from 1962 until he retired in 2004. Since 1967, he has also taught at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Today, John Hall is a Senior Fellow, emeritus, at NIST. He is also a Fellow at JILA. JILA is a special research center managed by the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST.
His Nobel Prize-Winning Work
John Hall shared half of his Nobel Prize with Theodor W. Hänsch. They were recognized for their groundbreaking work using lasers. They developed a method called "laser-based precision spectroscopy." This technique uses lasers to study light and matter with incredible accuracy.
They also helped create the "optical frequency comb technique." Imagine a ruler for light. A frequency comb is like that ruler, but for light waves. It helps scientists measure the exact color or frequency of light very precisely. This is super important for things like building better atomic clocks and testing basic physics laws.
The other half of the Nobel Prize in 2005 went to Roy J. Glauber. His work was about how light particles (photons) behave.
Supporting Science and Climate Action
John Hall has received many awards for his important work. One of them is the Max Born Award. This award recognized his efforts in making stable lasers. These lasers are used in many areas, including basic physics research.
In 2008, John Hall and 19 other American Nobel Prize winners signed a letter. They sent it to President George W. Bush. The letter asked the president to provide more money for basic science research. They wanted to make sure that important scientific studies could continue.
In 2015, John Hall also signed the Mainau Declaration 2015 on Climate Change. This declaration was signed by 76 Nobel Laureates. They asked world leaders to take action against climate change. The declaration was given to the President of France during a big meeting about climate change in Paris.
Awards and Honors
John Hall has received many important awards for his contributions to physics:
- National Carbon Company Fellow in Physics, 1957–1961
- Department of Commerce Gold Medal, 1969
- Samuel W. Stratton Award, 1971
- Department of Commerce Gold Medal, 1974 (group awards)
- IR-100: Laser stabilizer selected as one of "100 best new products of the year," 1975
- IR-100: Laser wavelength meter ("Lambdameter") selected as one of "100 best new products of the year," 1977
- E. U. Condon Award, 1979
- Charles Hard Townes Award of the Optical Society of America, 1984
- Davisson-Germer Prize of the American Physical Society, 1988
- Docteur Honoris Causa de l'Universite Paris Nord, 1989
- Frederic Ives Medal of the Optical Society of America, 1991
- Einstein Prize for Laser Science, 1992
- Arthur L. Shawlow Prize of the American Physical Society, 1993
- Allen V. Astin Measurement Science Award, 2000
- Max Born Award of the Optical Society of America, 2002
- Presidential Rank Award from the Office of Personnel Management, 2002
- Department of Commerce Gold Medal, 2002 (group awards)
- Rabi Award of the IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Society, 2004
- Légion d'Honneur Membership, 2004
- Nobel Prize in Physics, 2005
- Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, 2006
- Doctor of Science, honoris causa, University of Glasgow, 2007
- Honorary Member of the Optical Society of America, 2007
See also
In Spanish: John L. Hall para niños
