1920

1920 — Made the first measurements of a star's diameter (Alpha Orionis).

A. A. Michelson

1920 — Bent glass rods used for microscope illumination.

1921 — Western Union sends the first electonically-transmitted photograph.

1923 — Nobel Prize in Physics awarded for work on the elementary charge of electricity and on the photoelectric effect."

Robert Andrews Millikan

1925 — "Leica" 35mm format camera introduced

1926 — Performed experiments to refine the measurement of the speed of light.

A A Michelson

1926 — Concept of using hollow tubes to transmit images patented

C Francis Jenkins (US) and John Logie Baird (England)

Both patented the concept of using hollow pipes to transmit images for television and facsimile systems.

1926 — Patent for mechanical television receiver

C. Francis Jenkins

Applies for US patent on a mechanical television receiver in which light passes along quartz rods in a rotating drum to form an image.

1926 — Principles of the fiber-optic imaging bundle outlined and in 1927 patent application filed.

Clarence W. Hansell

1927 — Developed a theory of electrons in metal by applying quantum theory to the structure of metals.

Arnold Sommerfeld

1927 — Modern flashbulb created

GE

1927 — Presented a method of representing the electromagnetic radiation field in quantized form.

Paul Adrien & Maurice Dirac

1928 — First observation of Raman scattering

Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman

Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Raman observes that when light passes through a transparent substance, some of the light is deflected and changes in wavelength. This will eventually be called Raman scattering, a result of the Raman effect.

1928 — Confirmed existence of stimulated emmision.

Rudolph W. Landenburg

1928 — First OSA award established: Frederic E. Ives Medal for distinguished work in optics.

Frederid E. Ives

1928 — New type of optical microscope proposed to bypass classical diffraction limit

Edward H. Synge

Proposes a new type of optical microscope that would bypass the classical diffraction limit.

1929 — Creation of a new kind of polarizing material

Ed Land

Creates a new kind of polarizing material in a plastic sheet.