Nick Holonyak Jr., 1928–2022

John Dallesasse

Remembering the tremendous impact of a scientist who was known for his work in electronics and photonics.

Nick Holonyak Jr.Nick Holonyak Jr. [Wikimedia Commons]

Nick Holonyak Jr., a giant in optoelectronics whose many achievements have had global impact in electronics and photonics, passed away on 18 September 2022. Holonyak, who led the team at General Electric (GE) that demonstrated the first visible-spectrum (red) semiconductor laser and that was among the first groups to show semiconductor lasers in any wavelength range, is widely considered the “father” of the light-emitting diode (LED).

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