Charles Hard Townes

Home > ... > Science and Technology > Physics > Physics: Biographies > ...

Essential reading Compare
side-by-side World Encyclopedia The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Charles Hard Townes

Charles Hard Townes 1915-, American physicist and educator, b. Greenville, S.C. He was educated at Furman Univ., Duke, and the California Institute of Technology (Ph.D., 1939), was on the technical staff of the Bell Telephone Laboratories (1939-48), and taught at Columbia (1948-59). After serving as vice president and director of research of the Institute for Defense Analyses, Washington, D.C., he was provost of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1961-66). Townes is known for his work on the theory and application of the maser , on which he obtained the fundamental patent, and other work in quantum electronics connected with both maser and laser devices. He shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics with N. G. Basov and A. M. Prokhorov for contributions to this field.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Townes-C" title="Facts and information about Charles Hard Townes">Charles Hard Townes</a>

Give this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Charles Hard Townes." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Charles Hard Townes." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 10, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Townes-C.html

"Charles Hard Townes." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Townes-C.html

Learn more about citation styles

Townes, Charles Hard

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Â© World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Townes, Charles Hard (1915–95) US physicist. In 1953, Townes invented the first operational maser. He shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in physics with Alexsandr Prokhorov and Nikolai Basov.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O142-TownesCharlesHard" title="Facts and information about Charles Hard Townes">Charles Hard Townes</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Townes, Charles Hard." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Townes, Charles Hard." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (November 10, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-TownesCharlesHard.html

"Townes, Charles Hard." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved November 10, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-TownesCharlesHard.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Townes Van Zandt: the self-destructive hobo saint. Magazine article from: Sing Out!; 6/22/2004
	Laser Technology--a surgical tool of the past, present, and future.(Clinical) Magazine article from: AORN Journal; 11/1/2003
	Spirituality and the fine-tuned cosmos: as scientific discoveries unveil delicate balance of 'coincidences' that made evolution of life possible, the question of a Creator is raised anew.(Spirituality)(includes book list for further research) Magazine article from: National Catholic Reporter; 12/12/2003

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

	UCF names new laser institute after Charles Townes. Newspaper article from: Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, FL); 5/4/2007; 700+ words ; ...was still sleeping, so Charles Townes decided to skip breakfast...at the school." The Townes Laser Institute will also...Richardson said. It's hard to place too much emphasis...photonics." Historically, Townes can be compared to Thomas...
	Charles H. Townes: physicist and nobel laureate, 86, Berkeley, California. (What I've Learned).(Brief Article) Magazine article from: Esquire; 12/1/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...that is the center. Wherever we are is as good a center as anything. That's the way the equations say it works, and it's hard to visualize. Whether the equations are telling us what we think they are telling us is debatable. Change fields every one...
	Townes Van Zandt: the self-destructive hobo saint. Magazine article from: Sing Out!; 6/22/2004; ; 700+ words ; ...Worth, Texas. A true Texan, Townes' kin were both oil barons...railroad to Fort Worth). Townes was named in honor of John Charles Townes, his great-grandfather...to the Everly Brothers and hard knocks country crooner Johnny...
	TOWNES NOMINATED FOR FEDERAL JUDGESHIP; SHE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN ELECTED TO THE SYRACUSE CITY COURT.(News) Newspaper article from: The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY); 7/2/2003; 700+ words ; ...said he congratulated Townes when he saw her at the...s been working very hard for this," Tormey said...Tormey said he understood Townes, a Republican, has...Democratic senators, Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham...that would first examine Townes' credentials, released...
	Townes, Arkansas big men tower over competition News Wire article from: University Wire; 3/1/2006; ; 620 words ; ...Personally, Townes would be hard pressed not to improve...opener back on Jan. 7. Townes started for the Hogs...matter the trouble, Townes remained in Arkansas...coming off the bench, Townes has hit nearly 58 percent...big men -- Townes, Charles Thomas, Vincent Hunter...
	A life where science and faith coexist.(FEATURES)(CURRENTS) Newspaper article from: The Christian Science Monitor; 3/10/2005; 700+ words ; ...Prize-winning physicist Charles Hard Townes was a professor at Columbia...in scientific inquiry, Townes says it has never led...and a close colleague of Townes. "He really thinks before...cannon, that would be Charles Townes." In 1966, Townes...
	Solid bench play key to hogs' success.(BASKETBALL: University of Arkansas) Magazine article from: Arkansas Business; 12/24/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...Washington, Ervin and Townes were combining for 18...play by Washington or Townes. "I think we want to...Stefan Welsh, forward Charles Thomas and center Steven...Ervin, Washington and Townes. With the victories...I have to do is play hard whenever I'm in the...
	'CHAPTER THREE'.(Business Profile) Magazine article from: Airport Business; 2/1/2008; 700+ words ; ...here at Meacham Field. Townes and partner Brian Nerney...the NFL.] Comments Townes, "We're now in chapter...last year received the Charles Taylor 'Master Mechanic...for management." Says Townes, "Through Ranger...here, we drive very hard for quality; we increase...
	Half-Empty and Half-Full: Van Zandt and George Jones.(Arts&Entertainment) Newspaper article from: The New York Observer (New York, NY); 7/12/1999; 700+ words ; ...Zandt. Arista. Cold Hard Truth. George Jones. Asylum. Townes Van Zandt cringed when...meeting. Loaded was Townes' usual state. He...already live albums of Townes signing solo," she...song, "Squash," a Charles Addams-like ditty...
	Interview: Nobel laureate warns choices in scientific advancement News Wire article from: Xinhua News Agency; 8/24/2005; 505 words ; ...year-old Noble Laureate Charles H. Townes. "Science produces news things which are hard to predict. But I would say...human life much more," said Townes in an interview with Xinhua on Wednesday. Townes was invited to the capital...