Millstone River Photonickers
Encyclopedia
Millstone River Photonickers is an informal affinity association of those individuals associated with the development of semiconductor diode laser
technology at RCA
Laboratories and its successor organization Sarnoff Corporation
, as well as companies and government or university groups which have grown out of the RCA Laboratories' optoelectronics tradition.
RCA Laboratories, located on ca. 300 acres (1.2 km²) along the Millstone River
in Princeton, NJ, is one of several organizations that, in 1962, simultaneously performed the historic demonstration of near-100% internal quantum efficiency in the conversion of electron-hole pairs to photons. The others were Texas Instruments
, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
, General Electric
, and IBM
.
RCA Laboratories was the organization to develop liquid phase epitaxy, the dominant form of epitaxial crystal growth enabling the development of high performance diode lasers in early years. (It has now been supplanted by molecular beam epitaxy
and metallorganic chemical vapor phase deposition.)
RCA Laboratories demonstrated the very first gallium nitride based blue LEDs in the early 1970s. These were the forerunners of solid-state lighting which has begun to improve lighting efficiency.
In the 1970s and 1980s, RCA Laboratories demonstrated and developed the technology for optical data recording on disks, leading to CD, DVD, BluRay, and other technologies in wide use since the 1970s.
RCA Laboratories and successor organization Sarnoff Corporation
today makes a unique claim as the longest-continuously operating industry R&D facility in the field of diode laser science and technology. It has specialized in government-sponsored R&D, including flying the first laser in space onboard a NASA
Gemini flight in 1967.
in semiconductor diode lasers, numerous spin-off and daughter companies have been founded by Sarnoff personnel.
Optoelectronics
companies founded by, or with key staff being among, RCA Laboratories/Sarnoff Corporation's optoelectronics personnel include the following: Alfalight, Arradiance, Bridgelux, Epitaxx, Innovative Photonic Solutions, Laser Diode Inc., Lytel, Medeikon, Nanogen, Nanotrope, PD-LD, Photodigm, Princeton Lightwave Inc., Princeton Optronics, Intense-HPD, Sensors Unlimited Inc., and Trumpf Photonics. Several of these organizations have since been incorporated as part of larger companies. Industries served include medical, telecommunications, night vision, manufacturing, displays, and solid state lighting.
Some organizations which have employed or have been led by Millstone River Photonickers are Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
, Motorola
, AmberWave, Lumileds, Applied Materials
, Hewlett-Packard
, Judson Infrared, Newport
, Applied Optoelectronics, Xerox
PARC, IRE-Polus Group (IPG), U.S. Army Night Vision Laboratory, University of Colorado, Carnegie Mellon University
, Rider University
, Ohio University
, Northwestern University
, Southern Methodist University
, Drexel University
, Pranalytica, Suzmar, Warburg Pincus
, Samdai, and GHO Ventures.
performed at RCA Laboratories was always focused on commercial applications in distinction to that of other major R&D institutions, including corporate R&D institutions. Many non-photonic breakthroughs were achieved along its banks, including the invention of CMOS
, the basis for essentially all computer chips manufactured today.
The Olsen farm, situated along the Millstone River where it crosses U.S. Route 1
in Princeton was sought and eventually purchased by RCA Corporation in the late 1930s.
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
technology at RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
Laboratories and its successor organization Sarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation, with headquarters in West Windsor Township, New Jersey, was a research and development company specializing in vision, video and semiconductor technology....
, as well as companies and government or university groups which have grown out of the RCA Laboratories' optoelectronics tradition.
RCA Laboratories, located on ca. 300 acres (1.2 km²) along the Millstone River
Millstone River
The Millstone River is a tributary of the Raritan River in central New Jersey in the United States.The Millstone River begins in western Monmouth County and flows northward through southern Somerset County into the Raritan River at Manville. Almost three quarters of its length is paralleled by...
in Princeton, NJ, is one of several organizations that, in 1962, simultaneously performed the historic demonstration of near-100% internal quantum efficiency in the conversion of electron-hole pairs to photons. The others were Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Lincoln Laboratory
MIT Lincoln Laboratory, located in Lexington, Massachusetts, is a United States Department of Defense research and development center chartered to apply advanced technology to problems of national security. Research and development activities focus on long-term technology development as well as...
, General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
RCA Laboratories was the organization to develop liquid phase epitaxy, the dominant form of epitaxial crystal growth enabling the development of high performance diode lasers in early years. (It has now been supplanted by molecular beam epitaxy
Molecular beam epitaxy
Molecular beam epitaxy is one of several methods of depositing single crystals. It was invented in the late 1960s at Bell Telephone Laboratories by J. R. Arthur and Alfred Y. Cho.-Method:...
and metallorganic chemical vapor phase deposition.)
RCA Laboratories demonstrated the very first gallium nitride based blue LEDs in the early 1970s. These were the forerunners of solid-state lighting which has begun to improve lighting efficiency.
In the 1970s and 1980s, RCA Laboratories demonstrated and developed the technology for optical data recording on disks, leading to CD, DVD, BluRay, and other technologies in wide use since the 1970s.
RCA Laboratories and successor organization Sarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation, with headquarters in West Windsor Township, New Jersey, was a research and development company specializing in vision, video and semiconductor technology....
today makes a unique claim as the longest-continuously operating industry R&D facility in the field of diode laser science and technology. It has specialized in government-sponsored R&D, including flying the first laser in space onboard a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Gemini flight in 1967.
Other Individual Affiliations
Along with the enviable history of RCA Laboratories and Sarnoff CorporationSarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation, with headquarters in West Windsor Township, New Jersey, was a research and development company specializing in vision, video and semiconductor technology....
in semiconductor diode lasers, numerous spin-off and daughter companies have been founded by Sarnoff personnel.
Optoelectronics
Optoelectronics
Optoelectronics is the study and application of electronic devices that source, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, light often includes invisible forms of radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet and infrared, in addition to visible light...
companies founded by, or with key staff being among, RCA Laboratories/Sarnoff Corporation's optoelectronics personnel include the following: Alfalight, Arradiance, Bridgelux, Epitaxx, Innovative Photonic Solutions, Laser Diode Inc., Lytel, Medeikon, Nanogen, Nanotrope, PD-LD, Photodigm, Princeton Lightwave Inc., Princeton Optronics, Intense-HPD, Sensors Unlimited Inc., and Trumpf Photonics. Several of these organizations have since been incorporated as part of larger companies. Industries served include medical, telecommunications, night vision, manufacturing, displays, and solid state lighting.
Some organizations which have employed or have been led by Millstone River Photonickers are Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
, Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
, AmberWave, Lumileds, Applied Materials
Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. is a capital equipment producer serving the semiconductor, TFT LCD display, Glass, WEB and solar manufacturing industries....
, Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
, Judson Infrared, Newport
Newport (disambiguation)
- Canada :* Newport Corner, Nova Scotia* Newport Landing, Nova Scotia* Newport Station, Nova Scotia- United Kingdom :England* Newport, Cornwall** Newport * Newport, East Riding of Yorkshire* Newport, Essex...
, Applied Optoelectronics, Xerox
Xerox
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
PARC, IRE-Polus Group (IPG), U.S. Army Night Vision Laboratory, University of Colorado, Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Rider University
Rider University
Rider University is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian university located chiefly in Lawrenceville, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States...
, Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
, Pranalytica, Suzmar, Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus, LLC is an American private equity firm with offices in the United States, Europe, Brazil and Asia. It has been a private equity investor since 1966...
, Samdai, and GHO Ventures.
The Commercial Spirit of the Millstone River
The Millstone River lends its historical commercial spirit to the R&D mission performed at RCA Laboratories in Princeton. For, the R&DResearch and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
performed at RCA Laboratories was always focused on commercial applications in distinction to that of other major R&D institutions, including corporate R&D institutions. Many non-photonic breakthroughs were achieved along its banks, including the invention of CMOS
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...
, the basis for essentially all computer chips manufactured today.
- For further information, see Millstone River#Commercial history
The Olsen farm, situated along the Millstone River where it crosses U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 1 is a United States highway which parallels the East Coast of the United States, running from Key West, Florida in the south to Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border in the north. Of the entire length of the route, of it runs through New Jersey...
in Princeton was sought and eventually purchased by RCA Corporation in the late 1930s.