Doug is truly deserving of this significant recognition, said Steve Newton, vice president and director, Agilent’s Measurement Research Laboratory. He has earned an international reputation as a leader in the field of optical measurement and sensing and has become widely recognized as a world-class researcher during his 25 years at HP and Agilent. Doug has collaborated closely with Agilent’s photonic measurement business, and his innovations — and those of the teams he has managed — have resulted in products that provide significant value and impact.
Baney, manager of Agilent’s measurement and sensors department is recognized for technical and leadership contributions in:
* understanding and measuring laser-phase noise and noise in optical amplifiers, enabling the characterization of critical components that boost signal levels allowing long-distance transmission in modern optical communication systems;
* developing the first diode-pumped, heavy-metal fiber lasers operating at the orange and blue wavelengths — at the time, the only way to realize compact lasers at these wavelengths;
* developing the world’s first coherent optical spectrum and component analyzers, the former providing 1,000 times better spectral resolution than conventional grating-based optical spectrum analyzers — spectrum analyzers being fundamental tools in the design and implementation of advanced optical communications systems;
* inventing and developing the world’s first laser mouse — a now-common computer accessory that can sense position on surfaces where conventional LED-based mice will not work; and
* inventing and developing an optical complex modulation analyzer — a new class of instrument that characterizes complex modulation formats that allow greater information transmission on optical communication links.