Discover632nmQuantum Cascade Lasers: Federico Capasso on Curiosity and Bell Labs
Quantum Cascade Lasers: Federico Capasso on Curiosity and Bell Labs

Quantum Cascade Lasers: Federico Capasso on Curiosity and Bell Labs

Update: 2025-04-01
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In this episode, physicist Federico Capasso recounts his winding path from struggling undergrad to pioneering inventor of the quantum cascade laser. He reveals how openness, daring ideas, and the bottom-up ethos at Bell Labs led to breakthroughs that redefined semiconductor research.

Capasso also discusses the blurred lines between basic and applied science, the importance of nurturing curiosity, and the serendipitous moments that propelled his career. From avalanche photodiodes to metasurfaces to quantum biology, he offers a fascinating look at how big discoveries often begin with a simple spark of wonder.

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Quantum Cascade Lasers: Federico Capasso on Curiosity and Bell Labs

Quantum Cascade Lasers: Federico Capasso on Curiosity and Bell Labs

Misha Shalaginov, Michael Dubrovsky, Xinghui Yin