The Path to Success of Bell Labs in the United States

Author: Yan Kangnian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: The Garden of Technological Innovation in the World's Top Research and Development Institution, Bell Labs, USA – A Profound Inspiration from the Success of the World-Class Research and Development Institution Rooted in Deep Scientific and Cultural Soil, Technological Innovation and Management Innovation Are Its Core, Basic Research and Market Demand Are the Two Major Driving Forces of Its Development, Seeking Economic Principles for Transforming Research Achievements into Practical Applications, Numerous Original High-Tech Communications Here, Highly Developed, High-Tech Wired and Wireless Communications and Their Software and Networks Originated Here, Many Top-Tier Talents and 11 Nobel Prize Winners Have Emerged Here
Author Introduction: Yan Kangnian is a researcher at the Institute of the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, a member of the Chinese Society for the History of Science and Technology, and a member of the American Society for the History of Science and Technology. Born in Penglai, Shandong in 1933, he graduated from Beijing Institute of Aeronautics in 1956 and served as a teacher at Beijing Institute of Aeronautics and an engineer at Beijing Institute of Construction Machinery Research. For many years, he has been engaged in the study of the history of modern physics, the history of science and technology, and scientific and technological revolutions. His research achievements have won the Second and Third Prizes of the Natural Science Award of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the First Prize of the Science and Technology History Book Award of the China Association for Science and Technology, the China Book Award, and the World Major Technological Achievements Award co-hosted by Hong Kong Wen Wei Po, among other awards. He also received the 20th Century Major Achievements Award and Medal from the International Biographical Society. From 1988 to 1989, he conducted visiting research at Cambridge University as a Fellow of the British Academy. In 1994, he visited the Smithsonian Institution and the Institute for Advanced Study in the United States as a Fellow and Visiting Fellow, respectively. In 1994 and 1998, he visited and conducted research at Bell Labs in the United States twice. His main works include "Rutherford and the Development of Modern Science," "Newton's Scientific Discoveries and Scientific Thought," "The History of Thermodynamics," "Atomic Theory and Modern Science," "The Modern Scientific Revolution and the Cavendish Laboratory," "The Cavendish Laboratory—A Sacred Site of the Modern Scientific Revolution," "Bell Labs—The Cradle of Modern High Technology," and "The Principles of Everything." In addition, he has published over 200 articles.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: A Glorious Journey
1. Incubation and Foundation
2. The Journey of Ten CEOs
3. Major Technological Achievements
Chapter 2: Research Strategy
1. The Content of the Research Strategy
2. Evolution of Purpose and Mission
3. Formulation of Research and Development Policy
4. Development of Research and Development Policy
Chapter 3: Vacuum Tubes and Early Communication Technology
1. The Discovery of Electrons and the Invention of Vacuum Tubes
2. Magnetrons and Microwave Radar
3. Klystrons
4. Traveling-Wave Tubes
Chapter 4: Transistors—The Dawn of the Microelectronics Revolution
1. The Origin
2. The Path of Invention and Development
3. Silicon Technology Supporting the Silicon Age
4. Inspirations from the Invention and Development of Transistors
Chapter 5: Lasers—A Rare Flower in Microwave Research
1. The Strange Properties of Lasers
2. How Were Lasers Invented?
3. Five Types of Laser Development
Chapter 6: Wireless Communication and the Path of Internet Innovation
1. The Emergence of Wireless Telephones
2. Satellite Communication with Relays in the Sky
3. Mobile Phones That Can Communicate While Moving
4. Wireless Internet
Chapter 7: Wired Communication That Penetrates the Ocean Floor
1. Transatlantic Submarine Cable Communication
2. Transpacific Submarine Cable Communication
Chapter 8: Optical Communication and the Optical Technology Revolution
1. How the Idea of Optical Communication Was Formed
2. How Fiber Optics Were Invented
3. Optical Communication Components
4. Implementation and Development
5. Digital Optical Communication and the Internet
Chapter 9: Computers, Computer Languages, and Speech Synthesis
1. Pioneers of Digital Computers
2. The Emergence of Transistor-Based Electronic Computers
3. Optical Computers
4. Quantum Computers
5. DNA Computers
6. New Computer Languages
7. Speech Synthesis and Recognition
Chapter 10: Hardware, Software, and Networks
1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Software and Networks
4. Internet and Computers
Chapter 11: "Science, Technology, Industry" and the "Innovation Gene" and Transformation
1. "Science, Technology, Industry" and the "Innovation Gene"
2. The Interrelationships of the Three "Innovation Genes"
3. Several Important Inspirations
Chapter 12: A Unique Talent Policy
1. What Is Talent?
2. Conditions and Methods for Selecting Leaders
3. Selection and Training of Research and Development Personnel
Chapter 13: The Garden of Research and Development
1. The Origin and Evolution of the Idea of Valuing Academic Environment
2. An Environment Suitable for Technological Innovation
3. Scientific Culture—The Soul of Technological Innovation
Chapter 14: The Nobel Prize Crown
1. David Lee and the Verification of Quantum Mechanics
2. Transistors and the Three Pioneers of Its Invention
3. Anderson and "Symmetry Breaking" and Disorder System Theory
4. Penzias and Wilson and the Evidence for the Big Bang Theory
5. Chu Dibing and Laser Freezing and Trapping Atoms
6. The Three Pioneers of the Discovery of the New Quantum Fluid Hall Effect
Chapter 15: An Evaluation of the Reasons for Success
1. Focusing on Communication Technology Innovation and Radiating to Other Fields
2. Incubation for 50 Years Before Maturing
3. Clear Understanding and Comprehension of Research and Development Tasks
4. A Rigorous Pursuit of Original Research and Development Policies
5. Gathering of Talent and Team Organization
6. Innovation—The Soul of Bell Labs
7. The Garden of Research and Innovation
8. The Short-Circuiting and Closed Cycle of "Science-Technology-Industry-Sales"
9. Success Built on Success
10. Scientific Spirit and Team Spirit
11. Huge Success Due to a Comprehensive Systems Engineering Approach
Appendix 1: Introduction to the Bell Labs Basic Science Research Institute (China)
Appendix 2: Introduction to the Bell Labs Advanced Technology Research Institute (China)