In Memoriam
Alan D. White, 1923–2020
Remembering a laser pioneer.
Alan White works on a red HeNe laser. [Courtesy of Alan White]
Alan David White died at his home in Berkeley Heights, NJ, USA, on 9 May 2020 at the age of 96. He is perhaps best known for his co-invention of the first continuously operating visible laser, the 632.8-nm helium-neon laser, millions of which have been used in laboratories, classroom optics demonstrations and scientific instruments. For decades these lasers were incorporated into surveying instruments, barcode scanners, X-ray machines, CAT scanners and MRI instruments. In recognition of this achievement, the IEEE bestowed on Alan the David Sarnoff Award in 1984, and the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame elected him to membership in 2000.
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