Gordon Gould
1920 – 2005

Gordon Gould

American physicist and inventor (1920–2005)

university teacherinventorphysicist
Born
1920-07-17, Manhattan
Died
2005-09-16
Birthplace state
New York

Biography

Gordon Gould was an American physicist born in Manhattan in 1920. He is sometimes credited with inventing the laser and the optical amplifier. Gould spent thirty years in dispute with the United States Patent and Trademark Office over patents for the laser and related technologies, and later engaged in court battles with laser manufacturers regarding the patents he obtained.

Occupation

Gordon Gould is recorded as a university teacher, a inventor and a physicist, born in New York (1920–2005).

Connections to New York

Gordon Gould was born in Manhattan, New York in 1920. Explore other notable figures from New York, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from New York

Other historical figures born in New York, ranked by historical prominence.

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Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
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Stanley Kubrick
American filmmaker (1928–1999)
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Walt Whitman
American poet, essayist and journalist (1819–1892)
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Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
president of the United States from 1837 to 1841

Frequently asked about Gordon Gould

Who was Gordon Gould?
Gordon Gould was American physicist and inventor (1920–2005), born in New York (1920 – 2005).
When and where was Gordon Gould born?
Gordon Gould was born on 1920-07-17 in Manhattan.
When did Gordon Gould die?
Gordon died on 2005-09-16.
What was Gordon Gould known for?
Gordon Gould is recorded as a university teacher, a inventor and a physicist.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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