Eli Yablonovitch — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Founded the field of photonic crystals in 1987, creating the first 3D structure with a full photonic bandgap, Yablonovite.
Currently a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley.
Co-founded Ethertronics Inc. (2000), Luxtera Inc. (2001), Luminescent Inc. (2002), and Alta Devices Inc. (2008).
Pioneered the strained quantum-well laser, now used in most semiconductor lasers globally.
Derived the 4(n squared) factor for light trapping in photovoltaics, used worldwide in solar panels.
Received his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard University in 1972.

Biography

Eli Yablonovitch is an American physicist and engineer, known for his foundational contributions to the field of photonic crystals, which he co-founded in 1987 with Sajeev John. He and his team were the first to create a three-dimensional structure exhibiting a full photonic bandgap, a discovery that led to the naming of the material "Yablonovite." His seminal paper on inhibited spontaneous emission in photonic crystals is highly cited in physics and engineering.