Charles K. Kao

Lore & Background

He graduated from St. Kao demonstrated that the high loss arose from impurities in the glass, not from fundamental physical effects, and identified fused silica as an ideal candidate. His ideas were initially widely disbelieved but later revolutionized communication technology.

Reader's Guide

Charles K. Kao's significance lies in his foundational contributions to fibre optic communications, which transformed global telecommunications. By proving that glass fibre could transmit light with low loss if purified, he overturned prevailing skepticism and sparked a worldwide race to develop low-loss optical fibres. His legacy endures in the ubiquitous fibre optic cables that carry the majority of the world's telecommunications traffic, making him a central figure in the information age.

Did You Know?

• Charles K. Kao was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2009 for groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibres for optical communication.
• Kao demonstrated that the high loss in glass fibres arose from impurities in the glass, not from fundamental physical effects, and identified fused silica as an ideal candidate.
• Kao was a permanent resident of Hong Kong and a citizen of both the United Kingdom and the United States.