Dr. Philip Sprangle, Chief Scientist (ST) for Directed Energy Physics in the Plasma Physics Division of the Naval Research Laboratory has been named Fellow of the Optical Society of America. The OSA recognized Sprangle for his Seminal innovations in advanced radiation sources, laser accelerators and the generation and propagation of high-power laser beams. Fellowship in the OSA is reserved for no more than 10 percent of the membership.
Joining the NRL Plasma Physics Division in 1974, Sprangle's primary research areas include: atmospheric propagation of high-energy laser beams, free electron lasers, high-power fiber lasers for directed energy applications, ultra-short pulse laser matter interaction, and stand-off detection of chemicals and special nuclear materials using ultra-short pulse lasers. In 1979, Sprangle became Head of the Plasma Theory Branch and in 1988 he was appointed to a Scientific and Technical (ST) position at NRL.
Sprangle received his doctorate in applied physics from Cornell University in 1973. He is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He is winner of the International Free Electron Laser Prize (1991), the E.O. Hulburt Science and Engineering Award (1986), the Sigma Xi Pure Science Award (1994) and the IEEE Plasma Science Award (2008). Sprangle has published over 220 scientific papers and holds 14 U.S. patents.
OSA was founded more than 90 years ago and was organized to increase and diffuse the knowledge of optics, pure and applied. Since then, The Optical Society of America has evolved into a global enterprise serving a worldwide constituency and since 2008 the Society has been known as OSA - The Optical Society. The Optical Society brings together optics and photonics scientists, engineers, educators and business leaders from over 95 countries.