Charles K. Kao: Difference between revisions

Charles Kuen Kao
高錕
Charles Kuen Kao; 高錕
Born	4 November 1933 (age 90); Shanghai, China
Nationality	United States of America; United Kingdom
Citizenship	United States of America; United Kingdom
Alma mater	University College London (PhD 1965) ; Woolwich Polytechnic (BSc 1957) ; St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong (1952)
Known for	Fiber optics
Awards	IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award (1978) ; IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal (1985) ; Faraday Medal (1989) ; James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials (1989) ; Prince Philip Medal (1996) ; Japan Prize (1996) ; 3463 Kaokuen (1996) ; Charles Stark Draper Prize (1999) ; Nobel Prize in Physics (2009)
	Scientific career
Fields	Optics ; Electrical engineering ; Enterprise ; Higher education
Institutions	Chinese University of Hong Kong; ITT Corporation; Standard Telephones and Cables

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Charles Kuen ("K. C.") Kao CBE FRS^[2] FREng^[3] (traditional Chinese: 高錕; simplified Chinese: 高锟; pinyin: Gāo Kūn (Kao Kuen); born 4 November 1933) is a pioneer in the development and use of fiber optics in telecommunications. Kao, widely regarded as the "Father of Fiber Optics" or "Father of Fiber Optic Communications",^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8] was awarded half of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics for "groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication".^[9]

Biography

Kao was born in Shanghai in 1933, but his ancestral home is in Jinshan, Jiangsu now part of Shanghai. He studied Chinese classics at home with his brother, under a tutor.^[10] He also studied English and French at an international school in Shanghai which was founded by a number of progressive Chinese educators including Cài Yuánpéi (蔡元培).^[11]

Kao's family moved to Hong Kong in 1948^[12] where he completed his secondary education (advanced level) at St. Joseph's College in 1952. He did his undergraduate studies in electrical engineering at Woolwich Polytechnic (now the University of Greenwich),^[13] obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree issued by the University of London.

He then pursued research and received his PhD degree in electrical engineering in 1965 from University College London^[14] (under Professor Harold Barlow) as an external student while working at Standard Telecommunication Laboratories (STL) in Harlow, England, the research centre of Standard Telephones and Cables^[15]. It is there that Kao did his first groundbreaking work as an engineer and researcher.

Kao joined the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 1970, to found the Department of Electronics, which later became the Department of Electronic Engineering. During this period, Kao was the Reader and then the Chair Professor of Electronics at CUHK; he built up both undergraduate and graduate study programs of electronic and saw the first graduation of his students. Under his leadership, the School of Education and other new research institutes were established. He then went back to ITT Corporation in 1974 (the parent corporation of STC at that time), and the United States, and worked in Roanoke, Virginia, first as Chief Scientist and later as Director of Engineering. In 1982, he became the first ITT Executive Scientist and was stationed mainly at the Advanced Technology Center in Connecticut.^[6] While there, he served as an adjunct professor and Fellow of Trumbull College at Yale University. In 1985, Kao spent one year in West Germany, at SEL Research Center. In 1986, Kao was the Corporate Director of Research at ITT.

Kao was Vice-Chancellor (equivalent to President in universities of the United States) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 1987 to 1996^[16]. From 1993 to 1994, he was the President of ASAIHL (The Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning)^[17].

Kao then worked as the CEO of Transtech. He is currently Chairman and CEO of ITX Services. As of 2009, he resides in Hong Kong and often travels to the United States to visit his family.

In 2000, Kao founded the Independent Schools Foundation Academy (ISF), which is located in Cyberport, Hong Kong.^[18] He stepped down from the Board of the ISF Foundation in December, 2008.

Kao has been suffering slightly from Alzheimer's disease since early 2004 and has speech difficulty, but has no problem recognizing people or addresses.^[19] Kao's father also suffered from the same disease. Kao and his wife would like to donate part of the prize money to aging research and care, possibly to the Hong Kong St. James' Settlement Health Care Centre for Old People, and the American-based Alzheimer's Association.^[20]

Pottery making, a traditional Chinese handwork, is a hobby of Kao's. Kao also enjoys reading Wuxia novels.^[21]

On October 6, 2009, Kao was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to the study of the transmission of light in optical fibers and for fiber communication^[22], said: "I am absolutely speechless and never expected such an honour"^[23].

Ancestry and family

Kao's father Kao Chun-Hsiang (高君湘) was a lawyer, who obtained his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1925.^[24] He was a professor at Soochow University (then in Shanghai) Comparative Law School of China.^[25]^[26]

His grandfather was Kao Choi-Wan (Gao Chuiwan, 高吹萬), a famous poet, revolutionary, literator, and a leading figure of Nan Society (South Society, 南社) during the late Qing Dynasty.^[27]

His father's cousin was astronomer Ping-Tse Kao (高平子;^[28] Kao Crater is named after him^[29]) Kao has a younger brother named Timothy Wu Kao (高鋙), who is a civil engineer and Professor Emeritus at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.. His research is in hydrodynamics.^[30]

Kao met his future wife May-Wan Kao (Née: Wong; 黄美芸) in London after graduation. His wife was a Fortran programmer working in the same factory as Kao.^[31] She is British Chinese. They were married in 1959 in London, ^[32]^[33] and have two children, a son and a younger daughter,^[32] both of whom reside and work in Silicon Valley, California.^[31]

Works and related history

A bundle of silica glass fibers for optical communication, which are used everywhere nowadays. Kao also first suggested that silica glass was ideal material for long range optical communication. See also *strength of glass*.

In early 1960s at STL, Kao did his pioneering work in the realisation of fiber optics as a telecommunications medium, by demonstrating that the high-loss of existing fiber optics arose from impurities in the glass, rather than from an underlying problem with the technology itself^[34]. Kao was pointed to the head of the electro-optics research group at STL in 1963^[35]; he took over the whole optical communication program of STL in December 1964 and decided to overall change their research direction. Kao not only considered the optical physics but also the material properties. The results were first presented by Kao in January 1966 in London, and further published in July with his former colleague George Hockham (1964-1965)^[36]^[a]. This study first theorized and proposed to use glass fibers to implement optical communication, the ideas (especially structural features and materials) described largely are the basis of today's optical fiber communication.

In 1965^[35]^[37]^[b], Kao concluded that the fundamental limitation for glass light attenuation is below 20 dB/km (Decibels per Kilometer, is a measure of the attenuation of a signal over a distance), which is a key threshold value for optical communications (^[38]it was first reported by Kao to IEE in London in January 1966)^[39]. However, at the time of this determination, optical fibers commonly exhibited light loss as high as 1,000 db/km and even more. This conclusion opened the intense race to find low-loss materials and suitable fibers for reaching such criteria.

Kao, together with his new team (members including T.W. Davies, M.W. Jones, and C.R. Wright), pursued this goal by testing various materials. They precisely measured the attenuation of light with different wavelengths in glasses and other materials. During this period, Kao pointed out that the high purity of fused silica (SiO₂) made it an ideal candidate for optical communication. Kao also stated that the impurity of glass material is the main cause for the dramatic decay of light transmission inside glass fiber, rather than fundamental physical effects such as scattering as many physicists thought at that time, and such impurity could be removed. This led to a worldwide study and production of high-purity glass fibers.^[40] Theatrically, when Kao first proposed that such glass fiber could be used for long-distance information transfer and replace copper wires which were used for telecommunication during that era^[41], his ideas were widely disbelieved; later people realized that Kao's ideas revolutionized the whole communication technology and industry.

In 1968, Kao with M.W. Jones measured the intrinsic loss of bulk-fused silica at 4 dB/km, which is the first evidence of ultra-transparent glass. Bell Laboratories started considering fiber optics seriously.^[42]

Kao developed important techniques and configurations for glass fiber waveguides, and contributed to the development of different fiber types and system devices which met both civil and military^[*] application requirements, and peripheral supporting systems for optical fiber communication^[43]. In mid-1970s, he did seminal work on glass fiber fatigue strength^[43]. Kao also played a major role in the engineering and commercial realisation of optical communication^[43]. He visited many research institutes including Bell Labs and even glass factories, discussed with various people including engineers, scientists, businessmen about the techniques and improvement of glass fiber manufacture. When named the first ITT Executive Scientist, Kao launched the "Terabit Technology" program in addressing the high frequency limits of signal processing, so Kao is also known as the "Father of Terabit Technology Concept"^[43]^[44]. Kao has published more than 100 papers and was granted over 30 patents^[43], including the water-resistant high-strength fibers (with M.S. Maklad)^[45].

At early stage of developing optic fibers, Kao already strongly preferred single mode for long-distance optical communication, instead of using multi-mode systems. His vision later was followed and now applied almost exclusively.^[46]^[40]

Kao is also a pioneer of modern submarine communications cables and largely promoted this idea. He predicted in 1983 that world's seas would be littered with fiber optics, five years ahead such trans-oceanic fiber-optic cable first became serviceable.^[47]

Ali Javan’s introduction of steady helium-neon laser and Kao’s discovery of fiber light-loss properties now are recognized as two essential milestones for the development of fiber-optic communications.^[38]

Honors and awards

Academic offices

Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, USA (1979)^[48]
Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, UK
Fellow of Royal Society (1997 election)
Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering (1989 election)
Fellow of Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences, Hong Kong

Academician of Academia Sinica^[49] (1992 election)
Member of European Academy of Sciences and Arts
Member of the United States National Academy of Engineering (1990 election)
Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (1988 election)
Foreign Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences (1996 election)

Honorary Fellow of Queen Mary, University of London^[50]
Honorary Professor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (1996)^[51]
Honorary Professor of Peking University (1995)
Honorary Professor of Tsinghua University (1995)
Honorary Professor of the University of International Business and Economics, Beijing (1995)
Honorary Professor of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (1995)

Hong Kong Affairs Adviser (港事顧問) (May 1994 - 30 June 1997)^[52]^[53]
Advisor of Macao Science and Technology Council^[54]

Honorary degrees

Honorary Doctor of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (1985)
Doctor of Science, The University of Sussex, UK (1990)
Doctor of Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, R.O.China (1990)^[55]^[56]
Degree of Honorary Doctor, Soka University, Japan (1991)
Doctor of Engineering, The University of Glasgow, UK (1992)
Honorary DCL, Durham University, UK (1994)^[57]
Doctor of the University, Griffith University, Australia (1995)
Honorary degree in "Telecommunications engineering", University of Padua, Italy (Oct 18, 1996)^[58]
Doctor of Science, The University of Hull, UK (1998)^[59]
Doctor of Science, Yale University, USA (1999)^[60]
Doctor of Science Honoris Causa, The University of Greenwich, UK (2002)^[13]
Doctor of Science, Princeton University, USA (2004)^[61]
Honorary Doctor, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, P.R.China (2007)

Awards

1976: The Morey Award, American Ceramic Society, USA.
1977: The Stewart Ballantine Medal, Franklin Institute, USA.
1978: The Rank Prize, Rank Trust Fund, UK.
1978: The IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award. Citation: "for making communication at optical frequencies practical by discovering, inventing, and developing the material, techniques and configurations for glass fiber waveguides and, in particular, for recognizing and proving by careful measurements in bulk glasses that silicon glass could provide the requisite low optical loss needed for a practical communication system".
1979: The L. M. Ericsson International Prize, Sweden.
1980: The Gold Medal, AFCEA, USA. Citation^ *: "for contribution to the application of optical fiber technology to military communications".^[43]
1985: The IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal.
1985: The Marconi International Scientist Award, Marconi Foundation, USA.
1985: The Columbus Medal of the City of Genoa, Italy.
1987: The C & C Prize, Foundation for Communication and Computer Promotion, Japan.
1989: The Faraday Medal, Institution of Electrical Engineers, UK.
1989: The James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials, American Physical Society (APS). Citation: "for contribution to the materials research and development that resulted in practical low loss optical fibers, one of the cornerstones of optical communications technology".^[62]
1992: The Gold Medal of the Society, SPIE.^[63]
1993: The Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).
1995: The Gold Medal for Engineering Excellence, The World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), UK.
1996: The Prince Philip Medal of the Royal Academy of Engineering; in recognition of "his pioneering work which led to the invention of optical fibre and for his leadership in its engineering and commercial realisation; and for his distinguished contribution to higher education in Hong Kong".
1996: The 12^th Japan Prize. Citation: "for pioneering research on wide-band, low-loss optical fiber communications".
The 3463 Kaokuen, discovered in 1981, named after Kao in 1996.
1998: The International Lecture Medal, IEE, UK.^[64]
1999: The Charles Stark Draper Prize (co-recipient with Robert D. Maurer and John B. MacChesney).
2006: The HKIE Gold Medal Award, HKIE (The Hong Kong Institute of Engineers).^[65]
2009: The Nobel Prize in Physics (1/2 of the prize). Citation: "for groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication".
November 4^th, 2009: Dr. Charles Kao Day in Mountain View, California, USA.

Notes

^ a: Kao's major task was investigating light-loss properties in materials of optic fibers, and determine whether they could removed or not. Hockham's was investigating light-loss due to discontinuities and curvature of fibre.
^ b: Some sources show around 1964, for example, "By 1964, a critical and theoretical specification was identified by Dr. Charles K. Kao for long-range communication devices, the 10 or 20 dB of light loss per kilometer standard." from Cisco Press.^[66]

References

^ The Nobel Prize in Physics 2009 - Press Release, Nobel Foundation, 2009-10-06, retrieved 2009-10-08
^ List of Fellows of the Royal Society 1660 – 2007
^ "The Fellowship - List of Fellows". Raeng.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
^ Record control number (RCN):31331 (Date 2009-10-07). "'Father of Fibre Optics' and digital photography pioneers share Nobel Prize in Physics". cordis.europa.eu. Retrieved 2009-11-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Bob Brown (Network World) (07 October, 2009 00:39:00). "Father of fiber-optics snags share of Nobel Physics Prize". cio.com.au. Retrieved 2009-11-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ ^a ^b "The father of optical fiber — Prof. C. K. Kao" (in Template:Zh icon Template:En icon). networkchinese.com. Retrieved 2009-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
^ ASIANOW - Asiaweek | Asian of the Century | Charles K. Kao | 12/10/99
^ Prof. Charles K Kao speaks on the impact of IT in Hong Kong from ouhk.edu.hk
^ The Nobel Prize in Physics 2009, Nobel Foundation, 2009-10-06, retrieved 2009-10-06
^ 范彦萍 (2009-10-08). "Interview of Kao's cousin (诺贝尔得主高锟的堂哥回忆:他儿时国学功底很好)" (in Template:Zh icon). 青年报. Retrieved 2009-10-09.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
^ 陶家骏 (2008-06-01). "著名女教育家陶玄 Famous Female Educator 陶玄" (in Template:Zh icon). 绍兴县报 Shaoxing County News. Retrieved 2009-10-09.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
^ Ifeng.com: 香港特首曾荫权祝贺高锟荣获诺贝尔物理学奖
^ ^a ^b "meantimealumni Spring 2005" (PDF). University of Greenwich. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
^ UCL (Page last modified on 30 October 2009). "University College London (UCL) Facts and Figures". Retrieved 2009-11-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Lisa Mumbach (2009-10-20). "Former IFTF Board Member". Retrieved 2009-10-31.
^ CUHK Handbook
^ "President of ASAIHL". ASAIHL. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
^ http://www.isf.edu.hk/eng/news.php?id=22
^ Ifeng.com: 港媒年初传高锟患老年痴呆症妻称老人家记性差
^ ScienceNet: 华裔诺奖获得者高锟将捐赠部分奖金研究老人病
^ QQ.com News 记者探访“光纤之父”高锟：顽皮慈爱的笑
^ "Physics 2009". Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
^ Ian Sample, science correspondent (Tuesday 6 October 2009 21.18 BST). "Charles Kuen Kao, George Smith and Willard Boyle win Nobel for physics". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-11-30. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ University of Michigan Law School: Alphabetical List with Year of Law School Graduates
^ A short biography of Kao Hieh-Hsiang
^ Legal education in modern China and modern Chinese jurisprudence
^ "参加南社纪念会姓氏录 List of Nan Society member" (in Template:Zh icon). 南社研究網 Research of Nan Society. Retrieved 2009-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
^ "高平子先生简介" (in Template:Zh icon). 青岛天文网--中国科学院紫金山天文台青岛观象台/青岛市天文爱好者协会. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 2009-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
^ "Lunar Crater Statistics". NASA. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
^ "高锟个人简历 (The biography of Charles K. Kao)" (in Template:Zh icon). 中国新闻网. 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2009-10-09. {{cite news}}: External link in |publisher= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
^ ^a ^b "光纤与爱情——高锟一生的实验". 转载《明报》. 2000-03-04. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
^ ^a ^b "高锟履历". 香港文汇报. 2009-10-07. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
^ "高锟非常惊喜：没想过获奖(图)". 博讯新闻网转载香港《文汇报》. 2009-10-07. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
^ "Fiber optic data communication: technological trends and advances (Editor: Casimer DeCusatis, ISBN 0-12-207891-8): Chapter 1 - History of Fiber Optics (by Jeff D. Montgomary); 1.3.1. Long Road to Low-Loss Fiber (Page 9-16)". Academic Press; 1^st Edition (March 22, 2002). {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |format= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
^ ^a ^b "Communication pioneers win 2009 physics Nobel". IET. Published on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Kao, K. C.; Hockham, G. A. (1966). "Dielectric-fibre surface waveguides for optical frequencies". Proc. IEE. 113 (7): 1151–1158.
^ "Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres, by Maryanne C. J. Large, Leon Poladian,Geoff Barton, and Martijn A. van Eijkelenborg. ISBN 9780387312736". Springer. 2008. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help) Page 2
^ ^a ^b "Fiber Types in Gigabit Optical Communications" (PDF). Cisco Systems, USA. April 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
^ "Chapter 1.1 - The Evolution of Fibre Optics" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-10-28.
^ ^a ^b "2009 Nobel Prize in Physics - Scientific Background: Two revolutionary optical technologies - Optical fiber with high transmission" (PDF). Nobelprize.org. 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
^ 1999 Charles Stark Draper Award Presented "Kao, who was working at ITT's Standard Telecommunications Laboratories in the 1960s, theorized about how to use light for communication instead of bulky copper wire and was the first to publicly propose the possibility of a practical application for fiber-optic telecommunication."
^ "A Fiber-Optic Chronology (by Jeff Hecht)". Retrieved 2009-11-03.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Charles Kuen Kao" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-10-28.
^ Technology of Our Times: People and Innovation in Optics and Optoelectronics (SPIE Press Monograph Vol. PM04), by Frederick Su; SPIE Publications (July 1, 1990); ISBN 0819404721, ISBN 978-0819404725. Page 82-86, Terabit Technology, by Charles K. Kao.
^ "Water resistant high strength fibers (United States Patent 4183621)" (PDF). Filing Date: 12/29/1977; Publication Date: 01/15/1980. Retrieved 2009-11-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "Guiding light" (PDF). IEE REVIEW MAY 1989. Retrieved 2009-12-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "Building the Global Fiber Optics Superhighway (ISBN 978-0-306-46505-5 (Print) 978-0-306-46979-4 (Online)): 1, A Global Footprint" (PDF (Free Abstract)). Springer USA. May 8, 2007. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
^ "Fellows - Charles K. Kao". IEEE. Retrieved 2009-10-26. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
^ https://db1n.sinica.edu.tw/textdb/ioconas/sfellowN.php?lang=ch&str2=ID Template:Zh icon
^ "e-Newsletter, Alumni at Queen Mary, University of London". Qmw.ac.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
^ 高錕校長榮休誌念各界歡送惜別依依, a September 1996 article from the Chinese University of Hong Kong alumni website Template:Zh icon
^ A chat with vice-chancellor Kao, by Midori Hiraga
^ The Standard: The day Nobel winner lost mic
^ XinhuaNet News: Macao chief congratulates Nobel Prize winner Charles Kao
^ 國立交通大學公共事務委員會名譽博士名單
^ 校史 - 國立交通大學時期｜民國六十八年（一九七九）以後
^ "Honorary Degrees" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-10-26.
^ Università degli Studi di Padova - Honoris causa degrees
^ The University of Hull - Honorary Graduates – part two
^ Yale Honorary Degree Recipients
^ Honorary degrees Awarded by Princeton University - 2000s
^ APS 1989 James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials Recipient from the American Physical Society
^ SPIE: The Gold Medal of the Society
^ News from the Institution of Electrical Engineer (PDF), IEE, Issue 14, June 1998, retrieved 2009-11-03 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ The Hong Kong Institute of Engineers: Press Releases - 香港工程師學會榮譽大獎、會長特設成就獎及傑出青年工程師獎2006 (The HKIE Gold Medal Award, the President's Award & Young Engineer of the Year Award 2006)
^ Vivek Alwayn (Apr 23, 2004). "Fiber-Optic Technologies - A Brief History of Fiber-Optic Communications". Cisco Press. Retrieved 2009-12-04.

Monographes

Optical fiber technology; by Charles K. Kao. IEEE Press, New York, USA; 1981.
Optical Fiber Technology, II; by Charles K. Kao. IEEE Press, New York, USA; 1981, 343 pages. ISBN 0471091693 ISBN 9780471091691.
Optical Fiber Systems: Technology, Design, and Applications; by Charles K. Kao. McGraw-Hill, USA; 1982; 204 pages. ISBN 0070332770 ISBN 978-0070332775.
Optical fibre (IEE materials & devices series, Volume 6); by Charles K. Kao. Palgrave Macmillan on behalf of IEEE; 1988; University of Michigan; 158 pages. ISBN 0863411258 ISBN 978-0863411250
A Choice Fulfilled: the Business of High Technology; by Charles K. Kao. The Chinese University Press/ Palgrave Macmillan; 1991, 203 pages. ISBN 9622015212 ISBN 978-9622015210
Tackling the Millennium Bug Together: Public Conferences; by Charles K. Kao. Central Policy Unit, Hong Kong; 48 pages, 1998.
Technology Road Maps for Hong Kong: a Preliminary Study; by Charles K. Kao. Office of Industrial and Business Development, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; 126 pages, 1990.
Nonlinear Photonics: Nonlinearities in Optics, Optoelectronics and Fiber Communications; by Yili Guo, Kin S. Chiang, E. Herbert Li, and Charles K. Kao. The Chinese University Press, Hong Kong; 2002, 600 pages.

External links

2009 Nobel Prize in Physics information
BBC: Lighting the way to a revolution
IEEE Oral-History: Charles Kao
Mountain View Voice: The legacy of Charles Kao

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Andrew Viterbi	IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal 1985	Succeeded by Bernard Widrow
Preceded by Nick Holonyak	Japan Prize 1996	Succeeded by T. Sugimura
Preceded by Yoichiro Nambu, Makoto Kobayashi, and Toshihide Maskawa	Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics with Willard Boyle and George E. Smith 2009	Most recent
Academic offices
Preceded by Ma Lin	Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong 1987–1996	Succeeded by Arthur Li

[nobelpress-1] The Nobel Prize in Physics 2009 - Press Release, Nobel Foundation, 2009-10-06, retrieved 2009-10-08

[2] List of Fellows of the Royal Society 1660 – 2007

[3] "The Fellowship - List of Fellows". Raeng.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-26.

[4] Record control number (RCN):31331 (Date 2009-10-07). "'Father of Fibre Optics' and digital photography pioneers share Nobel Prize in Physics". cordis.europa.eu. Retrieved 2009-11-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[5] Bob Brown (Network World) (07 October, 2009 00:39:00). "Father of fiber-optics snags share of Nobel Physics Prize". cio.com.au. Retrieved 2009-11-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[networkchinese-6] "The father of optical fiber — Prof. C. K. Kao" (in Template:Zh icon Template:En icon). networkchinese.com. Retrieved 2009-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

[7] ASIANOW - Asiaweek | Asian of the Century | Charles K. Kao | 12/10/99

[8] Prof. Charles K Kao speaks on the impact of IT in Hong Kong from ouhk.edu.hk

[9] The Nobel Prize in Physics 2009, Nobel Foundation, 2009-10-06, retrieved 2009-10-06

[10] 范彦萍 (2009-10-08). "Interview of Kao's cousin (诺贝尔得主高锟的堂哥回忆:他儿时国学功底很好)" (in Template:Zh icon). 青年报. Retrieved 2009-10-09.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

[11] 陶家骏 (2008-06-01). "著名女教育家陶玄 Famous Female Educator 陶玄" (in Template:Zh icon). 绍兴县报 Shaoxing County News. Retrieved 2009-10-09.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

[12] Ifeng.com: 香港特首曾荫权祝贺高锟荣获诺贝尔物理学奖

[Woolwich-13] "meantimealumni Spring 2005" (PDF). University of Greenwich. Retrieved 2009-10-07.

[14] UCL (Page last modified on 30 October 2009). "University College London (UCL) Facts and Figures". Retrieved 2009-11-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[15] Lisa Mumbach (2009-10-20). "Former IFTF Board Member". Retrieved 2009-10-31.

[16] CUHK Handbook

[17] "President of ASAIHL". ASAIHL. Retrieved 2009-11-01.

[18] ttp://www.isf.edu.hk/eng/news.php?id=22

[19] Ifeng.com: 港媒年初传高锟患老年痴呆症妻称老人家记性差

[20] ScienceNet: 华裔诺奖获得者高锟将捐赠部分奖金研究老人病

[21] QQ.com News 记者探访“光纤之父”高锟：顽皮慈爱的笑

[22] "Physics 2009". Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 2009-10-26.

[23] Ian Sample, science correspondent (Tuesday 6 October 2009 21.18 BST). "Charles Kuen Kao, George Smith and Willard Boyle win Nobel for physics". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-11-30. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)

[24] University of Michigan Law School: Alphabetical List with Year of Law School Graduates

[25] A short biography of Kao Hieh-Hsiang

[26] Legal education in modern China and modern Chinese jurisprudence

[27] "参加南社纪念会姓氏录 List of Nan Society member" (in Template:Zh icon). 南社研究網 Research of Nan Society. Retrieved 2009-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

[28] "高平子先生简介" (in Template:Zh icon). 青岛天文网--中国科学院紫金山天文台青岛观象台/青岛市天文爱好者协会. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 2009-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

[29] "Lunar Crater Statistics". NASA. Retrieved 2009-10-08.

[30] "高锟个人简历 (The biography of Charles K. Kao)" (in Template:Zh icon). 中国新闻网. 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2009-10-09. {{cite news}}: External link in |publisher= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

[明报-31] "光纤与爱情——高锟一生的实验". 转载《明报》. 2000-03-04. Retrieved 2009-10-07.

[履历-32] "高锟履历". 香港文汇报. 2009-10-07. Retrieved 2009-10-07.

[惊喜-33] "高锟非常惊喜：没想过获奖(图)". 博讯新闻网转载香港《文汇报》. 2009-10-07. Retrieved 2009-10-07.

[34] "Fiber optic data communication: technological trends and advances (Editor: Casimer DeCusatis, ISBN 0-12-207891-8): Chapter 1 - History of Fiber Optics (by Jeff D. Montgomary); 1.3.1. Long Road to Low-Loss Fiber (Page 9-16)". Academic Press; 1^st Edition (March 22, 2002). {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |format= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)

[IET-35] "Communication pioneers win 2009 physics Nobel". IET. Published on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[36] Kao, K. C.; Hockham, G. A. (1966). "Dielectric-fibre surface waveguides for optical frequencies". Proc. IEE. 113 (7): 1151–1158.

[37] "Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres, by Maryanne C. J. Large, Leon Poladian,Geoff Barton, and Martijn A. van Eijkelenborg. ISBN 9780387312736". Springer. 2008. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help) Page 2

[Fiber_Types-38] "Fiber Types in Gigabit Optical Communications" (PDF). Cisco Systems, USA. April 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-03.

[39] "Chapter 1.1 - The Evolution of Fibre Optics" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-10-28.

[phyadv09-40] "2009 Nobel Prize in Physics - Scientific Background: Two revolutionary optical technologies - Optical fiber with high transmission" (PDF). Nobelprize.org. 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2009-12-04.

[41] 1999 Charles Stark Draper Award Presented "Kao, who was working at ITT's Standard Telecommunications Laboratories in the 1960s, theorized about how to use light for communication instead of bulky copper wire and was the first to publicly propose the possibility of a practical application for fiber-optic telecommunication."

[A_Fiber-Optic_Chronology-42] "A Fiber-Optic Chronology (by Jeff Hecht)". Retrieved 2009-11-03.

[Charles_Kuen_Kao-43] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Charles Kuen Kao" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-10-28.

[44] Technology of Our Times: People and Innovation in Optics and Optoelectronics (SPIE Press Monograph Vol. PM04), by Frederick Su; SPIE Publications (July 1, 1990); ISBN 0819404721, ISBN 978-0819404725. Page 82-86, Terabit Technology, by Charles K. Kao.

[45] "Water resistant high strength fibers (United States Patent 4183621)" (PDF). Filing Date: 12/29/1977; Publication Date: 01/15/1980. Retrieved 2009-11-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[46] "Guiding light" (PDF). IEE REVIEW MAY 1989. Retrieved 2009-12-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[47] "Building the Global Fiber Optics Superhighway (ISBN 978-0-306-46505-5 (Print) 978-0-306-46979-4 (Online)): 1, A Global Footprint" (PDF (Free Abstract)). Springer USA. May 8, 2007. Retrieved 2009-11-03.

[48] "Fellows - Charles K. Kao". IEEE. Retrieved 2009-10-26. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

[49] ttps://db1n.sinica.edu.tw/textdb/ioconas/sfellowN.php?lang=ch&str2=ID Template:Zh icon

[50] "e-Newsletter, Alumni at Queen Mary, University of London". Qmw.ac.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-26.

[51] 高錕校長榮休誌念各界歡送惜別依依, a September 1996 article from the Chinese University of Hong Kong alumni website Template:Zh icon

[52] A chat with vice-chancellor Kao, by Midori Hiraga

[53] The Standard: The day Nobel winner lost mic

[54] XinhuaNet News: Macao chief congratulates Nobel Prize winner Charles Kao

[55] 國立交通大學公共事務委員會名譽博士名單

[56] 校史 - 國立交通大學時期｜民國六十八年（一九七九）以後

[57] "Honorary Degrees" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-10-26.

[58] Università degli Studi di Padova - Honoris causa degrees

[59] The University of Hull - Honorary Graduates – part two

[60] Yale Honorary Degree Recipients

[61] Honorary degrees Awarded by Princeton University - 2000s

[62] APS 1989 James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials Recipient from the American Physical Society

[63] SPIE: The Gold Medal of the Society

[64] News from the Institution of Electrical Engineer (PDF), IEE, Issue 14, June 1998, retrieved 2009-11-03 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[65] The Hong Kong Institute of Engineers: Press Releases - 香港工程師學會榮譽大獎、會長特設成就獎及傑出青年工程師獎2006 (The HKIE Gold Medal Award, the President's Award & Young Engineer of the Year Award 2006)

[Cisco_Press-66] Vivek Alwayn (Apr 23, 2004). "Fiber-Optic Technologies - A Brief History of Fiber-Optic Communications". Cisco Press. Retrieved 2009-12-04.

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v t e Laureates of the Nobel Prize in Physics
1901–1925	1901: Röntgen 1902: Lorentz / Zeeman 1903: Becquerel / P. Curie / M. Curie 1904: Rayleigh 1905: Lenard 1906: J. J. Thomson 1907: Michelson 1908: Lippmann 1909: Marconi / Braun 1910: Van der Waals 1911: Wien 1912: Dalén 1913: Kamerlingh Onnes 1914: Laue 1915: W. L. Bragg / W. H. Bragg 1916 1917: Barkla 1918: Planck 1919: Stark 1920: Guillaume 1921: Einstein 1922: N. Bohr 1923: Millikan 1924: M. Siegbahn 1925: Franck / Hertz
1926–1950	1926: Perrin 1927: Compton / C. Wilson 1928: O. Richardson 1929: De Broglie 1930: Raman 1931 1932: Heisenberg 1933: Schrödinger / Dirac 1934 1935: Chadwick 1936: Hess / C. D. Anderson 1937: Davisson / G. P. Thomson 1938: Fermi 1939: Lawrence 1940 1941 1942 1943: Stern 1944: Rabi 1945: Pauli 1946: Bridgman 1947: Appleton 1948: Blackett 1949: Yukawa 1950: Powell
1951–1975	1951: Cockcroft / Walton 1952: Bloch / Purcell 1953: Zernike 1954: Born / Bothe 1955: Lamb / Kusch 1956: Shockley / Bardeen / Brattain 1957: C. N. Yang / T. D. Lee 1958: Cherenkov / Frank / Tamm 1959: Segrè / Chamberlain 1960: Glaser 1961: Hofstadter / Mössbauer 1962: Landau 1963: Wigner / Goeppert Mayer / Jensen 1964: Townes / Basov / Prokhorov 1965: Tomonaga / Schwinger / Feynman 1966: Kastler 1967: Bethe 1968: Alvarez 1969: Gell-Mann 1970: Alfvén / Néel 1971: Gabor 1972: Bardeen / Cooper / Schrieffer 1973: Esaki / Giaever / Josephson 1974: Ryle / Hewish 1975: A. Bohr / Mottelson / Rainwater
1976–2000	1976: Richter / Ting 1977: P. W. Anderson / Mott / Van Vleck 1978: Kapitsa / Penzias / R. Wilson 1979: Glashow / Salam / Weinberg 1980: Cronin / Fitch 1981: Bloembergen / Schawlow / K. Siegbahn 1982: K. Wilson 1983: Chandrasekhar / Fowler 1984: Rubbia / Van der Meer 1985: von Klitzing 1986: Ruska / Binnig / Rohrer 1987: Bednorz / Müller 1988: Lederman / Schwartz / Steinberger 1989: Ramsey / Dehmelt / Paul 1990: Friedman / Kendall / R. Taylor 1991: de Gennes 1992: Charpak 1993: Hulse / J. Taylor 1994: Brockhouse / Shull 1995: Perl / Reines 1996: D. Lee / Osheroff / R. Richardson 1997: Chu / Cohen-Tannoudji / Phillips 1998: Laughlin / Störmer / Tsui 1999: 't Hooft / Veltman 2000: Alferov / Kroemer / Kilby
2001– present	2001: Cornell / Ketterle / Wieman 2002: Davis / Koshiba / Giacconi 2003: Abrikosov / Ginzburg / Leggett 2004: Gross / Politzer / Wilczek 2005: Glauber / Hall / Hänsch 2006: Mather / Smoot 2007: Fert / Grünberg 2008: Nambu / Kobayashi / Maskawa 2009: Kao / Boyle / Smith 2010: Geim / Novoselov 2011: Perlmutter / Schmidt / Riess 2012: Wineland / Haroche 2013: Englert / Higgs 2014: Akasaki / Amano / Nakamura 2015: Kajita / McDonald 2016: Thouless / Haldane / Kosterlitz 2017: Weiss / Barish / Thorne 2018: Ashkin / Mourou / Strickland 2019: Peebles / Mayor / Queloz 2020: Penrose / Genzel / Ghez 2021: Parisi / Hasselmann / Manabe 2022: Aspect / Clauser / Zeilinger 2023: Agostini / Krausz / L'Huillier

v t e 2009 Nobel Prize laureates
Chemistry	Venki Ramakrishnan (United States/United Kingdom) Thomas A. Steitz (United States) Ada Yonath (Israel)
Literature (2009)	Herta Müller (Germany/Romania)
Peace (2009)	Barack Obama (United States)
Physics	Charles K. Kao (Hong Kong/United Kingdom/United States) Willard Boyle (Canada/United States) George E. Smith (United States)
Physiology or Medicine	Elizabeth Blackburn (United States/Australia) Carol W. Greider (United States) Jack W. Szostak (United Kingdom/United States)
Economic Sciences	Elinor Ostrom (United States) Oliver E. Williamson (United States)
Nobel Prize recipients 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014