Harry Jeffrey Kimble (April 23, 1949 – September 2, 2024) was an American physicist who was the William L. Valentine Professor and professor of physics at

Caltech The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech) is a private university, private research university in Pasadena, California, United States. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small g ...

. His research was in

quantum optics Quantum optics is a branch of atomic, molecular, and optical physics and quantum chemistry that studies the behavior of photons (individual quanta of light). It includes the study of the particle-like properties of photons and their interaction ...

and is noted for groundbreaking experiments in physics including one of the first demonstrations of

teleportation Teleportation is the hypothetical transfer of matter or energy from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them. It is a common subject in science fiction and fantasy literature. Teleportation is often paired with tim ...

of a quantum state (first demonstration is disputed with

Anton Zeilinger Anton Zeilinger (; born 20 May 1945) is an Austrian quantum physicist and Nobel laureate in physics of 2022. Zeilinger is professor of physics emeritus at the University of Vienna and senior scientist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Qu ...

quantum logic gate In quantum computing and specifically the quantum circuit model of computation, a quantum logic gate (or simply quantum gate) is a basic quantum circuit operating on a small number of qubits. Quantum logic gates are the building blocks of qua ...

, and the development of the first single atom

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...

. According to Elizabeth Rogan, OSA CEO, "Jeff has led a revolution in modern physics through his pioneering research in the coherent control of the interactions of light and matter." Kimble's main research focus was in

quantum information science Quantum information science is a field that combines the principles of quantum mechanics with information theory to study the processing, analysis, and transmission of information. It covers both theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum phys ...

and the

quantum dynamics In physics, quantum dynamics is the quantum version of classical dynamics. Quantum dynamics deals with the motions, and energy and momentum exchanges of systems whose behavior is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. Quantum dynamics is relev ...

of open systems.

Life and career

Kimble graduated summa cum laude from

Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a Private university, private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 (High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) institutio ...

in 1971 and earned his master's and doctoral degrees from

University of Rochester The University of Rochester is a private university, private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded in 1850 and moved into its current campus, next to the Genesee River in 1930. With approximately 30,000 full ...

, culminating in 1979. He was advised by

Leonard Mandel Leonard Mandel (May 9, 1927 – February 9, 2001) was an American physicist who contributed to the development of theoretical and experimental modern optics and is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the field of quantum optics. With ...

. As a graduate student under Mandel, Kimble observed the first photon anti-bunching. He spent two years as a scientist for the

General Motors Research Laboratory A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED Online. Mar ...

until 1979 when he joined the faculty at the

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public university, public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 stud ...

. He moved to the

California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech) is a private research university in Pasadena, California, United States. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small group of institutes ...

in 1989. Kimble was a Fellow of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...

, the

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of ...

, and the

Optical Society of America Optica, founded as the Optical Society of America (later the Optical Society), is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest in optics and photonics. It publishes journals, organizes conferences and exhibitions, and ca ...

. He was elected as a member of the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...

in 2002. Kimble died in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

on September 2, 2024, at the age of 75.

Honors and awards

Einstein Prize for Laser Science The Einstein Prize for Laser Science was a recognition awarded by the former Society for Optical and Quantum Electronics and sponsored by the Eastman Kodak Company. The prize, awarded in the 1988–1999 period, consisted of a 3-inch brass meda ...

of the Society for Optical and Quantum Electronics (awarded at ''Lasers'' '89) * The

Albert A. Michelson Medal The Franklin Institute is a science museum and a center of science education and research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is named after the American scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin. It houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memoria ...

of the

Franklin Institute The Franklin Institute is a science museum and a center of science education and research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is named after the American scientist and wikt:statesman, statesman Benjamin Franklin. It houses the Benjamin Franklin ...

(1990) * The

Max Born Award The Max Born Award is given by Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America) for ''outstanding contributions to physical optics'' and is named after Max Born, a physicist renowned for his foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and opt ...

of the

(1996) * The International Award on Quantum Communication (1998) * The

Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize The Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize of the American Physical Society, to remember Julius Edgar Lilienfeld, has been awarded annually, since 1989. (It was not awarded in 2002). The purpose of the Prize is to recognize outstanding contributions to ph ...

of the

(2004) * The inaugural

Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis The Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis (future prize) is an international award for "excellent research on the application or generation of laser light". Since 2006, it is biennially awarded by the German non-profit foundation Berthold Leibinger Stif ...

of the German

Berthold Leibinger Stiftung The German foundation Berthold Leibinger Stiftung was founded in 1992 by the engineer, entrepreneur and patron Berthold Leibinger in Ditzingen near Stuttgart, Germany. The non-profit foundation is dedicated to cultural, scientific, church related a ...

(2006) * Doctor Scientiarum Honoris Causa,

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (, KU) is a public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia, after Uppsala University. ...

(2007) * The Herbert Walther Award (2013) * Leonard Mandel Quantum Optics Award (2024)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kimble, H. Jeff 1949 births 2024 deaths People from Floydada, Texas 21st-century American physicists American optical physicists University of Rochester alumni Abilene Christian University alumni Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences California Institute of Technology faculty Fellows of the American Physical Society Fellows of Optica (society) University of Texas at Austin faculty General Motors people