Encyclopedia/1. The Cosmos & The Natural World/2. Physics & Chemistry/01. Quantum Physics & Atomic Theory • Curated by Admin Timeline.sg
This timeline traces the key milestones and pioneering figures in quantum optics and laser coherence, from early quantum theories of light to modern quantum technologies.
Chronological Storyline (32 Milestones)
1900 CE
Planck's Quantum Hypothesis
Max Planck introduces the idea of quantized energy to explain blackbody radiation, laying the foundation for quantum theory. #physics #quantum
Planck's Quantum Hypothesis By Hugo Erfurth - This file was derived from: Max Planck by Hugo Erfurth 1938cr.jpg Original source: https://www.dhm.de/lemo/bestand/objekt/max-planck, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=153625300
1905 CE
Einstein's Photoelectric Effect
Albert Einstein proposes that light consists of discrete quanta (photons), explaining the photoelectric effect and advancing quantum optics. #physics #photon
Einstein's Photoelectric Effect By Ponor - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92684859
1917 CE
Einstein's A and B Coefficients
Einstein derives the coefficients for spontaneous and stimulated emission, providing the theoretical basis for laser action. #physics #laser
Einstein's A and B Coefficients By User:Jhausauer - Author, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13358404
1928 CE
Raman Effect Discovered
C. V. Raman discovers inelastic scattering of light, a key phenomenon in quantum optics leading to Raman spectroscopy. #physics #optics
Raman Effect Discovered By Nobel Foundation - From Nobel Lectures, Physics 1922-1941, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1965, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4213636
1954 CE
Townes, Gordon, and Zeiger Build Maser
Charles Townes and colleagues construct the first maser (microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), a precursor to the laser. #physics #maser
Townes, Gordon, and Zeiger Build Maser By Unknown author - [1], Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92738267
1955 CE
Prokhorov and Basov Propose Laser
Alexander Prokhorov and Nikolay Basov independently propose the concept of a laser using a three-level system. #physics #laser
Prokhorov and Basov Propose Laser By Nobel foundation - http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1964/prokhorov-bio.html, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6140656
May 16, 1960 CE
Maiman Demonstrates First Laser
Theodore Maiman operates the first working laser, a ruby laser, at Hughes Research Laboratories. #physics #laser
Maiman Demonstrates First Laser By Unknown author - Press photo taken for the periodical Los Angeles Reader, 1985, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91254657
Dec 1, 1960 CE
Javan's Helium-Neon Laser
Ali Javan, William Bennett, and Donald Herriott invent the continuous-wave helium-neon laser, a key milestone. #physics #laser
Javan's Helium-Neon Laser By Samaksasanian - Read Under, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27067043
1962 CE
Semiconductor Laser Diode Invented
Robert Hall and others develop the first semiconductor laser diode, enabling compact light sources. #physics #laser
Semiconductor Laser Diode Invented By Unknown author - Jet Propulsion Laboratory website: http://technology.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/index.cfm?page=imageDetail&ItemID=120&catId=8 (archive), Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2359148
1964 CE
Nobel Prize for Maser-Laser Pioneers
Charles Townes, Nikolay Basov, and Alexander Prokhorov share the Nobel Prize in Physics for fundamental work in quantum electronics leading to masers and lasers. #physics #nobel
Nobel Prize for Maser-Laser Pioneers By Photograph: JonathunderMedal: Erik Lindberg (1873-1966) - Derivative of File:NobelPrize.JPG, PD-US, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58432969
1969 CE
HBT Effect Confirms Photon Correlations
Robert Hanbury Brown and Richard Twiss demonstrate intensity interferometry, revealing photon bunching and coherence properties. #physics #optics
1970 CE
First Optical Fiber with Low Loss
Corning researchers produce the first low-loss optical fiber, enabling laser-based communications. #physics #optics
First Optical Fiber with Low Loss By BigRiz - First upload: (Sep 25 2004) en:Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46561
1975 CE
Hansch and Schawlow Propose Laser Cooling
Theodor Hänsch and Arthur Schawlow suggest using laser light to cool atoms, a key idea in quantum optics. #physics #laser
Hansch and Schawlow Propose Laser Cooling By Darth luigi - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=153687990
1977 CE
Wineland's Laser Cooling of Ions
David Wineland and colleagues demonstrate laser cooling of trapped ions, leading to advances in atomic clocks and quantum computing. #physics #quantum
Wineland's Laser Cooling of Ions By Credit Line: Photograph by James Burrus/NIST, courtesy of AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives, W. F. Meggers Gallery of Nobel Laureates Collection - https://repository.aip.org/islandora/object/nbla%3A315040, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123266254
1981 CE
Squeezed Light Generation
Slusher et al. generate squeezed light, reducing quantum noise below the standard quantum limit. #physics #quantum
Squeezed Light Generation By Geek3 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79089581
1982 CE
Aspect's Bell Inequality Tests
Alain Aspect performs experiments using entangled photons to test Bell's inequalities, confirming quantum non-locality. #physics #quantum
Aspect's Bell Inequality Tests By Ecole polytechnique Université Paris-Saclay - Mooc optique quantique, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123730100
1985 CE
Kibble-Zurek Mechanism
Wojciech Zurek and Tom Kibble propose a mechanism for defect formation in phase transitions, later tested in quantum optics. #physics #quantum
1989 CE
Quantum Cryptography Demonstration
Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard demonstrate first quantum key distribution experiment using polarized photons. #cryptography #quantum
1994 CE
Shor's Algorithm Announced
Peter Shor publishes a quantum algorithm for factoring large numbers, spurring interest in quantum computing. #computing #quantum
1995 CE
Bose-Einstein Condensate Created
Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman produce the first Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in rubidium, using laser cooling and trapping. #physics #quantum
Bose-Einstein Condensate Created By Vectorized version by AG Caesar, original by DG85 - Inspired by a work from Wikipedia User DG85 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:QuantumPhaseTransition.png, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67110336
1997 CE
Nobel Prize for Laser Cooling
Steven Chu, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, and William Phillips share the Nobel Prize for methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light. #physics #nobel
Nobel Prize for Laser Cooling By Department of Energy - Obtained via email from Department of Energy., Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7358105
1998 CE
Quantum Teleportation Experiment
Anton Zeilinger and colleagues demonstrate quantum teleportation of photons using entangled pairs. #physics #quantum
Quantum Teleportation Experiment By JozumBjada - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=128460435
2001 CE
Nobel Prize for BEC
Eric Cornell, Carl Wieman, and Wolfgang Ketterle receive the Nobel Prize for the creation of Bose-Einstein condensates. #physics #nobel
Nobel Prize for BEC By Betsythedevine - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46346398
2004 CE
Slow Light Demonstrated
Lene Hau and colleagues slow light to 17 meters per second using a Bose-Einstein condensate. #physics #optics
2005 CE
Frequency Combs Win Nobel Prize
John Hall and Theodor Hänsch share the Nobel Prize for their contributions to laser-based precision spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb. #physics #nobel
Frequency Combs Win Nobel Prize By Rubber Duck (☮ • ✍) - Own work, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39652854
2010 CE
First Quantum Machine
Andrew Cleland and colleagues create a quantum mechanical device that exhibits both quantum and classical behavior. #physics #quantum
First Quantum Machine By Erik Lucero, Martinis Group, University of California, Santa Barbara - Homepage Martinis Group, University of California, Santa Barbara: http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~martinisgroup/index.shtml, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12518228
2012 CE
Nobel Prize for Quantum Optics
Serge Haroche and David Wineland share the Nobel Prize for measuring and manipulating individual quantum systems. #physics #nobel
Nobel Prize for Quantum Optics By Bengt Nyman - Flickr: IMG_4704, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23083045
2015 CE
Quantum Supremacy Claim with Photons
Chaoyang Lu and Jian-Wei Pan demonstrate boson sampling with up to 5 photons, a step towards quantum supremacy. #physics #quantum
2017 CE
Loophole-Free Bell Test with Photons
Multiple groups perform loophole-free Bell tests using entangled photons, closing major loopholes. #physics #quantum
2019 CE
Google's Quantum Supremacy with Superconducting Qubits
Google claims quantum supremacy using a programmable superconducting processor, but photonic approaches also advance. #computing #quantum
2020 CE
Pan's Quantum Memory Network
Jian-Wei Pan's group demonstrates a quantum memory network over 50 km of optical fiber. #physics #quantum
Pan's Quantum Memory Network By Evacreateva Eva Fessler / University of Innsbruck - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=192003492
2022 CE
Nobel Prize for Entanglement
Alain Aspect, John Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger win the Nobel Prize for experiments with entangled photons. #physics #nobel
Nobel Prize for Entanglement By J-Wiki at English Wikipedia - Entirely self-generated using computer graphics applications., GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16525357
