Theodore Maiman

American scientist, a physicist who built and patented the first operable laser in May 1960. Ted Maiman is the author of "The Laser Odyssey," 2000.

His father was an electronics engineer and inventor who strongly believed that science should be used to better the world. He inspired his son with a love of electronics and encouraged him to study both electronics and medicine. As a teenager, Maiman repaired radios and electrical appliances while saving his money for college. He attended the University of Colorado where he received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics in 1949. His goal of doing his graduate work at Stanford University’s Physics Department required a circuitous approach. Rejected by Stanford, he enrolled at Columbia University but was unhappy there. Applying to Stanford a second time resulted in another rejection; finally he applied to the Electronics Engineering Department and was accepted. He signed up for electives in physics, was eventually accepted into the physics program and earned his Ph.D. in 1955.

After graduation, Maiman accepted a position with Hughes Research Laboratories in Miami, Florida where he designed innovations to the ‘maser’ before working on the development of an optical maser, or laser. His primary philosophy was to keep things simple, and his approach was to find the wrong solutions first and eliminate them. Considered a maverick by more established scientists who ridiculed him for using ruby, a material that had been ruled out by the others, he confidently persevered, and working with a very small budget, he beat both the large and small players in the race to build the world’s first laser.

From 1962 to 1968, he headed Korad Corporation, specializing in the research, development and manufacture of lasers and went on to found Maiman Associates. In 1976, he was hired by TRW where he was put in charge of new technology ventures, but in 1983, he began working exclusively with medical lasers.