Tingye Li (; July 7, 1931 – December 27, 2012) was a Chinese-American scientist in the fields of microwaves, lasers and optical communications. His innovative work at

AT&T AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile tel ...

pioneered the research and application of lightwave communication, and has had a far-reaching impact on information technology for over four decades.

Education and Research

Tingye Li was born on July 7, 1931 in

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

Jiangsu Province Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its ca ...

, the eldest son of a diplomat. His father was a senior officer of the Chinese Foreign Ministry (before 1949, the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...

) and served as an ambassador to several countries. At the age of 12, Li and his family left China to join his father in Canada. Later they lived in South Africa before eventually settling in the United States. Tingye obtained his bachelor's degree from the School of Electrical and Information Engineerin

at the

University of the Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African Public university, public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( o ...

in Johannesburg, South Africa, and his Ph.D. from

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

. After graduating in 1957, he began working at

Bell Telephone Laboratories Nokia Bell Labs, originally named Bell Telephone Laboratories (1925–1984), then AT&T Bell Laboratories (1984–1996) and Bell Labs Innovations (1996–2007), is an American industrial research and scientific development company owned by mul ...

(later AT&T Bell Laboratories), working there for 41 years until his retirement from

AT&T Labs AT&T Labs is the research & development division of AT&T, the telecommunications company. It employs some 1,800 people in various locations, including: Bedminster NJ; Middletown, NJ; Manhattan, NY; Warrenville, IL; Austin, TX; Dallas, TX; Atlan ...

in 1998. During his tenure at AT&T, he wrote and contributed to many journal papers, patents, and books in the areas of

antennas In radio engineering, an antenna or aerial is the interface between radio waves propagating through space and electric currents moving in metal conductors, used with a transmitter or receiver. In transmission, a radio transmitter supplies a ...

, microwave propagation,

lasers 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" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...

and

optical communications Optical communication, also known as optical telecommunication, is communication at a distance using light to carry information. It can be performed visually or by using electronic devices. The earliest basic forms of optical communication date b ...

. In 1961, Li and his colleague A. Gardner Fox published a paper titled ''Resonant modes in a maser interferometer'', which showed that "''a laser beam bouncing back and forth between a pair of mirrors can resonate for a number of modes of energy distribution and for each of these traverse modes there is a different characteristic phase velocity and attenuation per transit.''" They used

computer simulation Computer simulation is the process of mathematical modelling, performed on a computer, which is designed to predict the behaviour of, or the outcome of, a real-world or physical system. The reliability of some mathematical models can be dete ...

techniques to obtain their data. This work was the first to point out that an open-sided resonator containing a laser medium should have unique modes of propagation, which is fundamental to the theory and practice of lasers. This work is now considered a classic and has been cited over 595 times ( SCI) since its publication in 1961 until 1979 when Mr. Fox recalled and gave some remarks on their work. From the late 1960s, Li engaged in pioneering research on lightwave technologies and systems, which are now ubiquitously deployed in the

telecommunications Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...

industry. In the late 1980s, when the whole world's attention on

optical communication Optical communication, also known as optical telecommunication, is communication at a distance using light to carry information. It can be performed visually or by using electronic devices. The earliest basic forms of optical communication date b ...

was still focused on a single-channel high speed solution, he and his team developed the world's first (sparse channel) WDM (

Wavelength Division Multiplexing In fiber-optic communications, wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) is a technology which multiplexes a number of optical carrier signals onto a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of laser light. This techniq ...

) system at

AT&T Bell Labs Nokia Bell Labs, originally named Bell Telephone Laboratories (1925–1984), then AT&T Bell Laboratories (1984–1996) and Bell Labs Innovations (1996–2007), is an American industrial research and scientific development company owned by mult ...

. With the understanding that a technique that can only be put into real use if it remains backwards-compatible with existing technology, he (and his team) proposed and studied the use of

optical amplifiers An optical amplifier is a device that amplifies an optical signal directly, without the need to first convert it to an electrical signal. An optical amplifier may be thought of as a laser without an optical cavity, or one in which feedback fro ...

in WDM systems, which utilized the existing embedded base to create virtual fibers by putting more channels onto a single fibre. Their experiment in 1992 at Roaring Creek turned out to be a "roaring success" as Li claimed in an interview, allowing 2.5 Gbit/s transmission per channel, the highest rate available at the time. The use of optical amplifiers changed the paradigm of

network economics In economics, a network effect (also called network externality or demand-side economies of scale) is the phenomenon by which the value or utility a user derives from a good or service depends on the number of users of compatible products. Netw ...

and is considered to be of revolutionary significance (though evolutionary in design) in the history of lightwave communications. Li was active in a number of academic societies. He was the initiator of many conferences in optical communication and has often been invited to give plenary speeches. Because of his outstanding contribution and spirit of service, he was elected the President of the

Optical Society of America Optica (formerly known as The Optical Society (OSA) and before that as the Optical Society of America) is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest in optics and photonics. It publishes journals and organizes conference ...

(OSA) in 1995. He was also a member of the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...

, the

Academia Sinica Academia Sinica (AS, la, 1=Academia Sinica, 3=Chinese Academy; ), headquartered in Nangang, Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. Founded in Nanking, the academy supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from ...

(Taiwan) and the

Chinese Academy of Engineering The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE, ) is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for engineering. It was established in 1994 and is an institution of the State Council of China. The CAE and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ...

Chinese heritage

Tingye Li's father Chao Li () had served in the Chinese government for many years. His mother Lily Hsieh() held a degree in Chinese literature from

Ginling College Ginling College (), also known by its pinyin romanization as Jinling College or Jinling Women's College, is a women's college of Nanjing Normal University in Nanjing, China. It offers both bachelor's and master's degrees. It offers six undergra ...

, and was an activist in the Chinese women's liberation movement. His father-in-law

K. C. Wu K. C. Wu () (October 21, 1903 – June 6, 1984) was a Chinese political figure and historian. Among other offices, he served as Mayor of Shanghai and as Chairman of the Taiwan Provincial Government. Early life Wu was born in Central China and g ...

was an important figure in China's modern history and was a governor of

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

. Dr. Li has also made a great contribution to the development of China's optical communication industry. He contributed significantly to the technical exchanges between US and Chinese scientists and technologists at both sides of the Taiwan Strait. He has introduced many world-class experts to lecture in China, bringing to the country the state-of-art technology in optical communication. Thanks to his effort, the research and application of optical communication in China has made a great progress in the recent 30 years. He was named an honorary professor at many top-tier universities in China (including Tsinghua University,

Peking University Peking University (PKU; ) is a public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education. Peking University was established as the Imperial University of Peking in 1898 when it received its royal charter ...

, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Northern Jiaotong University, Fudan University,

Nankai University Nankai University (NKU or Nankai; ) is a national public research university located in Tianjin, China. It is a prestigious Chinese state Class A Double First Class University approved by the central government of China, and a member of the fo ...

, Tianjin University, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and Qufu Normal University), elected as the very first foreign member of the

and member of the

in Taiwan, and was granted honorary doctoral degrees by National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan and his mother school the

Philosophy

Li has said that developing components and devices must involve good understanding of systems applications and systems economics. This methodology was reflected in his introduction of optical amplifiers in WDM which offered network providers a graceful upgrade. Li has also mentored many younger colleagues, and was known to many as "Uncle Tingye."

Personal

Li's speeches, even on some dull technical topics, are known to be quite entertaining. One example was at th
ITCom 2001
conference, where he gave a talk titled "Crouching Technologies and Hidden Profits", a play on the film "

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' is a 2000 wuxia film directed by Ang Lee and written for the screen by Wang Hui-ling, James Schamus, and Tsai Kuo-jung . The film features a cast of actors of Chinese people, Chinese ethnicity, including Ch ...

". Li believed component research must involve good system understanding. One of his famous quotations was "good physicists upgrade themselves into system engineers." He also coined the term phantomics referring to research efforts in photonic technologies that are looking for a use which is very unclear or unreal. Dr. Tingye Li lived with his wife Edith Wu () in

Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a home rule city that is the county seat and most populous municipality of Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, making it the 12th most populous city in Color ...

. He was an independent consultant in the field of lightwave communications. His brother Ting-Kai Li (, 1934–November 18, 2018) was a prominent medical scientist and served as the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) between 2002 and 2008. His brother-in-law, Sherman Wu, was an activist and academic at Northwestern University. He died on December 27, 2012, in Snowbird, Utah.

Companies

Dr. Li was active in fostering innovation through new companies. He was heavily involved i
New FocusKotura
and a number of others. He was also a co-founder, member of the Board of Directors, and active contributor wit
Insight Photonic Solutions, Inc.

Quotation

* ''"Photonics is a 40-year overnight success."'' * ''"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"'' - Tingye Li at OFC '02, adapted from " Ode to the West Wind", by

Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 17928 July 1822) was one of the major English Romantic poets. A radical in his poetry as well as in his political and social views, Shelley did not achieve fame during his lifetime, but recognition of his achie ...

* ''"I only hire people smarter than I."'' * ''"Good physicists upgrade themselves into system engineers."''

Awards and honors

IEEE W.R.G. Baker Prize Paper Award IEEE W.R.G. Baker Award provided by the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE), was created in 1956 from a donation from Walter R. G. Baker (1892–1960) to the IRE. The award continued to be awarded by the board of directors of the Institute of El ...

- 1975 (together with

Stewart E. Miller Stewart E. Miller (September 1, 1918 – February 27, 1990) 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 Univers ...

and

Enrique A. J. Marcatili Enrique A. J. Marcatili (born July 22, 1925, in Villa María Córdoba, Argentina - died January 19, 2021, in N.J.) was an Argentine-American physicist. Together with Stewart E. Miller and Tingye Li, all of Bell Laboratories in Holmdel Township, Ne ...

) * Achievement Awards from the Chinese Institute of Engineers/USA - 1978 * IEEE

David Sarnoff Award The IEEE David Sarnoff Award was a Technical Field Award presented in 1959–2016 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It was awarded annually for exceptional contributions to electronics. The award was established i ...

- 1979 * member of the

- 1980 * Alumni Merit Award from

- 1981 * Achievement Awards from the Chinese American and Professional Association -1983 * member of the

- 1994 *

OSA Osa or OSA may refer to: Places * Osa Peninsula, a peninsula in Costa Rica * Osa (canton), a canton in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica * Osa Conservation Area, an administrative area in Costa Rica * Osa, India, a village in Allahabad, I ...

/ IEEE-LEOS John Tyndall Award - 1995 * member of the

- 1996 *

Frederic Ives Medal - 1997 *

Science and Technology Medal - 1997 * Achievement Awards from the Photonics Society of Chinese-Americans - 1998 *

IEEE Photonics Award The IEEE Photonics Award is a Technical Field Award established by the IEEE Board of Directors in 2002. This award is presented for outstanding achievements in photonics, including work relating to: light-generation, transmission, deflection, am ...

- 2004 * IEEE Edison Medal - 2009

Books

* Optical Fiber Communications: Fiber Fabrication, Tingye Li, 1985 * Topics in Lightwave Transmission Systems, Tingye Li, 1991 * Optical Fiber Telecommunications IV-A : Components, Ivan P. Kaminow and Tingye Li, 2002 * Optical Fiber Telecommunications IV-B : Systems and Impairments, Ivan P. Kaminow and Tingye Li, 2002

References

External links

A Visit with Dr. Tingye Li
{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Tingye 1931 births 2012 deaths American engineers American physicists Laser researchers Chinese emigrants to the United States Northwestern University alumni University of the Witwatersrand alumni Presidents of Optica (society) Members of Academia Sinica Foreign members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Scientists from Nanjing Engineers from Jiangsu SPIE IEEE Edison Medal recipients