Nick Holonyak
1928 – 2022

Nick Holonyak

American physicist (1928–2022)

university teacherelectrical engineerinventorphysicistengineer
Born
1928-11-03, Zeigler
Died
2022-09-20
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

Nick Holonyak Jr. was an American electronics engineer. He is noted particularly for his 1962 invention and first demonstration of a semiconductor laser diode that emitted visible light. This device was the forerunner of the first generation of commercial light-emitting diodes (LEDs). He was then working at a General Electric research laboratory near Syracuse, New York. He left General Electric in 1963 and returned to his alma mater, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he later became John Bardeen Endowed Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics.

Occupation

Nick Holonyak is recorded as a university teacher, a electrical engineer, a inventor, a physicist, a engineer and a scientist, born in Illinois (1928–2022).

Connections to Illinois

Nick Holonyak was born in Zeigler, Illinois in 1928. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Everything a full report reveals about Zeigler

Nick Holonyak came from Zeigler. A full Aubrey report on Zeigler pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

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 Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

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Ronald Reagan
president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911-2004)
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Walt Disney
American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company (1901–1966)
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
American author and journalist (1899–1961)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (1951–2014)
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
American chess player (1943–2008)
James Watson
James Watson
American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about Nick Holonyak

Who was Nick Holonyak?
Nick Holonyak was American physicist (1928–2022), born in Illinois (1928 – 2022).
When and where was Nick Holonyak born?
Nick Holonyak was born on 1928-11-03 in Zeigler.
When did Nick Holonyak die?
Nick died on 2022-09-20.
What was Nick Holonyak known for?
Nick Holonyak is recorded as a university teacher, a electrical engineer, a inventor, a physicist, a engineer and a scientist.
Source

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

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