CCD sensor inventors bag Nobel Prize in Physics

Leonard Goh | Oct 07, 2009

William S. Boyle (left) and George E. Smith in a shot taken in 1974. (Credit: Alcatel-Lucent/Bell Labs via PDN)

If you're an avid photographer who loves the age of digital imaging, give thanks to the inventors of the charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor, Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith.

In 1969, Boyle and Smith were working at Bell Laboratories where the duo set out to develop better electronic memory. But in the end, they made a silicon plate with photo-sensitive cells on it instead. The following year, the inventors showcased a working videocam which utilized the sensor they developed.

For the record, other than CCD sensors, CMOS sensors are used in some digital cameras, too. However, CCD was invented first and also used in other fields such as astrophysics and in the medical industry. Such an invention certainly deserves a prominent award such as the Nobel Prize. There are two recipients to the Nobel Prize for Physics this year. One half went to Boyle and Smith, who are now 85 and 79, respectively, while the other half went to Charles K. Kao for his breakthrough in fiber optics technology. Click here to read more about the inventors.

Via PDN

Filed under: Digital Cameras
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