Rudolf Kompfner (1909 – 1977) was an Austrian-born engineer and physicist, best known as the inventor of the traveling wave tube (TWT). 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Look up engineer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A physicist is a scientist trained in physics. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Traveling wave tube amplifier. ...

Kompfner was born in Vienna on May 16, 1909. He was originally trained as an architect and after receiving his university degree in 1933 he moved to England where he worked as an architect until 1941. However, he had a strong interest in physics and electronics, and after being briefly detained by the British as an enemy alien at the start of World War II he was recruited to work in a secret microwave vacuum tube research program at the University of Birmingham. While there, Kompfner invented the TWT in 1943. After the war he continued working for the Admiralty as a scientist, and also studied physics at the University of Oxford, receiving his PhD in 1951. Vienna (German: Wien ; Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian: Beč, Czech: Vídeň, Hungarian: Bécs, Romanian: Viena, Romani: Bech or Vidnya, Russian: Вена, Slovak: Viedeň, Slovenian: Dunaj) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Architect at his drawing board, 1893 An architect is a person involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... The field of electronics is the study and use of systems that operate by controlling the flow of electrons (or other charge carriers) in devices such as thermionic valves and semiconductors. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Microwave image of 3C353 galaxy at 8. ... In electronics, a vacuum tube (U.S. and Canadian English) or (thermionic) valve (outside North America) is a device generally used to amplify, or otherwise modify, a signal by controlling the movement of electrons in an evacuated space. ... The University of Birmingham is an English university in the city of Birmingham. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Old Admiralty House, Whitehall, London, Thomas Ripley, architect, 1723-26, was not admired by his contemporaries and earned him some scathing couplets from Alexander Pope The Admiralty was historically the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Doctor of Philosophy, or Ph. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

Late that year Dr. Kompfner was recruited to Bell Labs in the United States by John R. Pierce, where they together developed the TWT into an important element of the communications age. He received the IEEE Medal of Honor for his invention, and in 1974 received the National Medal of Science. Bell Laboratories (also known as Bell Labs and formerly known as AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Telephone Laboratories) was the main research and development arm of the United States Bell System. ... John Robinson Pierce (March 27, 1910 - April 2, 2002), was an American engineer and author. ... The IEEE Medal of Honor is the highest recognition of the IEEE, and has been awarded once each year since 1917, when its first recipient was Major Edwin H. Armstrong. ... National Medal of Science The National Medal of Science, also called the Presidential Medal of Science, is an honor given by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social...

Kompfner died on December 3, 1977. December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

External links

• IEEE History Center biography

References

• Kompfner, Rudolf, The Invention of the Traveling-Wave Tube, San Francisco Press, 1964.