Stewart E. Miller
Encyclopedia
Stewart E. Miller was a noted American pioneer in microwave
and optical communications.
Miller was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, attended high school in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
, and three years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
before transferring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, where in 1941 he receive his S.B. and S.M. degrees in engineering
. He joined Bell Labs
to work on microwave radar
, and became technical lead for the B-29's X-band (3 cm) radar
microwave plumbing. After World War II
, he was instrumental in AT&T
's L-3
coaxial cable carrier systems, then transferred to the Radio Research Department where he made advances in many millimeter-wave components.
In the early 1960s, Miller was the first to recognize the potential of optical communications and as director of Guided Wave Research, initiated a program to investigate a variety of periodic lens
systems. As optical fiber
was developed in the late 1960s, he demonstrated its utility, and also proposed the combining multiple optical components on one semiconductor chip. He became director of Lightwave Research in 1980, retired in 1983, and then consulted at Bellcore (now Telcordia Technologies
) analyzing semiconductor lasers.
Miller held some 80 patents and was a member of the National Academy of Engineering
, a Life Fellow of the IEEE, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
and the Optical Society of America
. He received the Naval Ordnance Development Award in 1945, the 1972 IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award
, the 1975 IEEE W.R.G. Baker Prize
(with Tingye Li
and E.A.J. Marcatili), the Franklin Institute
's 1977 Stuart Ballantine Medal, and the 1989 John Tyndall Award
of the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society for distinguished contributions to fiber optics technology.
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
and optical communications.
Miller was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, attended high school in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Wauwatosa is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States, and was incorporated on May 27, 1897. As of the 2006 census estimate, the city's population was 44,798. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area...
, and three years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
before transferring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, where in 1941 he receive his S.B. and S.M. degrees in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
. He joined Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
to work on microwave radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, and became technical lead for the B-29's X-band (3 cm) radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
microwave plumbing. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was instrumental in AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
's L-3
L-carrier
SystemYearFrequencyCoax per cableDistance between repeatersVoice circuits per coax tubeL-119413 MHz48 miles600L-21942840 kHz416 miles360L-319508 MHz84 miles1,860L-4196717 MHz202 miles3,600L-5197257 MHz221 mile10,800L-5E197566 MHz221 mile13,200...
coaxial cable carrier systems, then transferred to the Radio Research Department where he made advances in many millimeter-wave components.
In the early 1960s, Miller was the first to recognize the potential of optical communications and as director of Guided Wave Research, initiated a program to investigate a variety of periodic lens
Lens
-Optics:*Lens , an optical element which converges or diverges light**Lens , a part of the eye**Corrective lens for correction of human vision***Contact lens, placed on the cornea of the eye**Photographic lens, a lens designed for use on a camera...
systems. As optical fiber
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
was developed in the late 1960s, he demonstrated its utility, and also proposed the combining multiple optical components on one semiconductor chip. He became director of Lightwave Research in 1980, retired in 1983, and then consulted at Bellcore (now Telcordia Technologies
Telcordia Technologies
Telcordia Technologies, formerly Bell Communications Research, Inc. or Bellcore, is a telecommunications research and development company based in the United States created as part of the 1982 Modification of Final Judgment that broke up American Telephone & Telegraph...
) analyzing semiconductor lasers.
Miller held some 80 patents and was a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
, a Life Fellow of the IEEE, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
and the Optical Society of America
Optical Society of America
The Optical Society is a scientific society dedicated to advancing the study of light—optics and photonics—in theory and application, by means of publishing, organizing conferences and exhibitions, partnership with industry, and education. The organization has members in more than 100 countries...
. He received the Naval Ordnance Development Award in 1945, the 1972 IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award
IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award
The initially called Morris Liebmann Memorial Prize provided by the Institute of Radio Engineers , the IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award was created in 1919 in honor of Colonel Morris N. Liebmann. It was initially given to awardees who had "made public during the recent past an important...
, the 1975 IEEE W.R.G. Baker Prize
Baker Prize
The initially called W.R.G. Baker Award provided by the Institute of Radio Engineers , was created in 1956 from a donation from Dr. Walter R. G. Baker to the IRE. The award continued to be awarded as IEEE W.R.G...
(with Tingye Li
Tingye Li
Dr. Tingye Li is a world-renowned scientist in the fields of microwaves, lasers and optical communications. His innovational work at AT&T, which pioneered the research and application of lightwave communication, has had a far-reaching impact on information technology for over four...
and E.A.J. Marcatili), the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
's 1977 Stuart Ballantine Medal, and the 1989 John Tyndall Award
John Tyndall Award
The John Tyndall Award is given to the "individual who has made pioneering, highly significant, or continuing technical or leadership contributions to fiber optics technology"...
of the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society for distinguished contributions to fiber optics technology.