George E. Smith, Nobel Prize-winning inventor of the CCD, which revolutionized imaging technology, died at 95 in New Jersey.

www.nytimes.com

George E. Smith, a pivotal figure in the realm of imaging technology, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 95. His groundbreaking invention, the charge-coupled device (CCD), has transformed how we capture and understand the world around US. This technology not only revolutionized scientific imaging but also enabled countless individuals to document their lives through photography and video.

6 Key Takeaways George E. Smith, Nobel Prize winner, dies.

Invented charge-coupled device (CCD) technology.

CCD essential for telescopes and cameras.

Shared 2009 Nobel Prize with Boyle and Kao.

Developed from efforts to improve computer memory.

Photoelectric effect fundamental to CCD operation.

Smith’s work at Bell Laboratories in 1969, alongside colleague Willard S. Boyle, laid the groundwork for modern imaging devices, essential in telescopes, medical scanners, and digital cameras. Their innovative approach to memory storage led to the creation of the CCD, which utilizes the photoelectric effect first described by Einstein in 1921. On 2025-05-31 05:51:00, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Smith and Boyle, recognizing their contributions to our digital age.

Fast Answer: George E. Smith’s invention of the charge-coupled device revolutionized imaging technology, impacting both scientific research and everyday life.

What does Smith’s legacy mean for future technological advancements? The CCD has fundamentally changed how we perceive the universe and ourselves. This innovation raises questions about the next steps in imaging technology and its potential applications.

Smith and Boyle’s CCD is crucial for various technologies, including telescopes and medical imaging.

The device captures light through rows of capacitors, converting it into electrical signals.

Smith’s work exemplifies the intersection of theoretical physics and practical application.

Smith’s contributions highlight the importance of innovation in advancing both science and everyday technology.

As we reflect on Smith’s legacy, it’s clear that the future of imaging technology holds exciting possibilities. Will we see even more revolutionary advancements that enhance our understanding of the universe?

First letter Letters in word →

↓ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Total

For words that start with the letter B: there are two four-letter words, three five-letter words, five six-letter words and one seven-letter word.

B There are 2 remaining words that start with b and have 4 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 3 remaining words that start with b and have 5 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 5 remaining words that start with b and have 6 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with b and has 7 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. 11

For words that start with the letter C: there are two five-letter words, one seven-letter word, one four-letter word, one eight-letter word, one nine-letter word, one 11-letter word and one six-letter word.

C There’s 1 remaining word that starts with c and has 4 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. There are 2 remaining words that start with c and have 5 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with c and has 6 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with c and has 7 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with c and has 8 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with c and has 9 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with c and has 11 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. 8

For words that start with the letter D: there are four six-letter words, two seven-letter words, four five-letter words and four four-letter words.

D There are 4 remaining words that start with d and have 4 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 4 remaining words that start with d and have 5 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 4 remaining words that start with d and have 6 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 2 remaining words that start with d and have 7 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. 14

For words that start with the letter E: there are one seven-letter word and one six-letter word.

E There’s 1 remaining word that starts with e and has 6 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with e and has 7 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. 2

For words that start with the letter I: there are two four-letter words, four six-letter words, two nine-letter words and three five-letter words.

I There are 2 remaining words that start with i and have 4 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 3 remaining words that start with i and have 5 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 4 remaining words that start with i and have 6 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There are 2 remaining words that start with i and have 9 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. 11

For words that start with the letter N: there are two four-letter words and one five-letter word.

N There are 2 remaining words that start with n and have 4 letters. There areremaining words that start withand haveletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with n and has 5 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. 3

For words that start with the letter O: there are one nine-letter word and one five-letter word.

O There’s 1 remaining word that starts with o and has 5 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. There’s 1 remaining word that starts with o and has 9 letters. There’sremaining word that starts withand hasletters. 2

Christian de Duve, Andrew W. Mellon Professor emeritus at The Rockefeller University and one of the founding fathers of the modern field of cell biology, died Saturday, May 4, at the age of 95. He chose to die by an act of euthanasia, surrounded by all four of his children.

de Duve was a cell biologist whose research centered on the separation and characterization of the organelles of living cells. He is best known for his discovery of lysosomes, subcellular particles that function in many ways as the digestive system of the cell. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1974, jointly with Rockefeller’s Albert Claude and George E. Palade, for “discoveries concerning the structural and functional orga­nization of the cell.”

de Duve discovered lysosomes in 1955, while working at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, using the cell fractionation technique of centrifugation for separating cell parts that had been developed by Claude at Rockefeller. Shortly following the discovery, de Duve and Alex B. Novikoff of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine identified lysosomes visually when they obtained the first electron micrographs of cell fractions containing partially purified lysosomes. Among the achievements of his laboratory was the discovery of peroxisomes, organelles which are involved, among other functions, in the metabolism of fats.

de Duve and his colleagues made significant contributions to the development of techniques and instrumentation for the study of cell biology. Work in his laboratories in New York and Belgium were devoted to the application of basic research in cell biology to problems of medicine and therapeutics, including atherosclerosis, cancer, immune defense mechanisms, genetic diseases, parasitic diseases, arthritis, and chemotherapy. In each area, the lysosome proved to be of special value. In his later years, his investigations shifted from biochemistry and cell biology to the mechanisms whereby life arose on our planet. He was particularly interested in the manner in which chemistry and natural selection joined to produce the first living cells and in the significance of those events as they relate to the place of life in the universe, including the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

de Duve was the author of more than a dozen books, including A Guided Tour of the Living Cell; Blueprint for a Cell; Vital Dust: Life as a Cosmic Imperative; Life Evolving: Molecules, Mind, and Meaning; Singularities: Landmarks on the Pathways of Life; and his final book, Genetics of Original Sin: The Impact of Natural Selection on the Future of Humanity.

de Duve, a Belgian citizen, was born in Thames-Ditton, England, on October 2, 1917. He received a degree of doctor of medicine, surgery, and obstetrics from the University of Louvain in 1941 and continued his research there, earning the equivalent of a Ph.D. in 1945 and a master of science degree in chemistry in 1946. He then worked at the Nobel Institute in Stockholm with Hugo Theorell and at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, with Earl Sutherland, under Carl and Gerty Cori, before returning to the University of Louvain Medical School in 1951 as professor of biochemistry.

de Duve was appointed professor at Rockefeller in 1962, continuing a part-time appointment at the University of Louvain. He was named Andrew W. Mellon Professor at Rockefeller in 1974, and he became professor emeritus in 1988.

In 1975 de Duve created the International Institute of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, in Brussels. In 1985 he became professor emeritus at the University of Louvain, while remaining president of the ICP. In 1991, he retired as president of ICP and became a founding member of its board. On de Duve’s 80th birthday in 1997, the ICP was renamed the Christian de Duve Institute.

In addition to the Nobel Prize, de Duve was the recipient of several awards in Belgium as well as the Special Award of Merit from the Gairdner Foundation in Canada (1967); the Dr. H. P. Heineken Prize (1973) from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences; the Theobald Smith Award, sponsored by the Albany Medical College (1981); the Harden Medal of the Biochemical Society, Great Britain (1978); the Jimenez Diaz Award, Spain (1985); the Innovators of Biochemistry Award, Medical College of Virginia (1986); and the E.B. Wilson Award of the American Society for Cell Biology.

He received honorary degrees from 18 universities around the world, and he was a member of numerous scientific and academic societies, including the U.S. National Academy of Sciences; the Royal Academies of Medicine and of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Literature of Belgium; the French National Academy of Medicine; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; the Academy of Sciences of Paris; Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina; the Royal Society (London); and the American Philosophical Society.

The British director earned Academy Award nominations for “Breaking Away” and “The Dresser.” “Bullitt” was Yates’ American directing debut. It starredas a detective and featured a memorable car chase on the streets of San Francisco with McQueen at the wheel of a Mustang. He was 81. Full obituary

, a lawyer and Kennedy in-law, worked for JFK’s and Lyndon Johnson’s administrations. He launched social programs including the, Head Start and the Job Corps and led the “war on poverty.” Programs he created “still change people’s lives,” says daughter. Above, with his wife Eunice in 1968. He was 95. Full obituary

The relatively unknown photographer documented L.A.’s beat culture and emerging arts scene, the civil rights movement, the Black Panthers and antiwar protests. He was 82. Full obituary

Grannis photographs documentedsurf culture of the 1960s and ‘70s. His images helped popularize and immortalize the sport — and the life behind it — at a crucial point in its history. “His photos captured the real thing,” wrote surfing journalist Steve Barilotti. He was 93. Full obituary

The composer won fivefor films such as “Born Free” and “Out of Africa” and scored Bond films including “Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever” and “From Russia With Love.” His work on the Bond franchise put him in the forefront of music composers. He was 77. Full obituary

Frank Buckles, the last American veteran of World War I, drove ambulances in France and later spent years in an internment camp afterinvasion of the Philippines in. He was 110. Full obituary

The political reporter andcolumnist wrote more than four decades for, where he mentored countless colleagues. He appeared on “Meet the Press” some 400 times. He was 81. Full obituary

A prolific thinker and creator, he is credited with innovations in cable modems, interactive TV, airport metal detectors and the “packet switching” technology that helped lead to the Internet. Above, Baran receives the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Bush in 2008. He was 84. Full obituary

The biochemist won the 1976 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discovering the hepatitis B virus, which causes severeand. He later developed the vaccine that protects against it. He was 85. Full obituary

The legendary Norwegian runner became the face of the, winning the race nine times. She also set four marathon world records. She was 57. Full obituary

The developer of the Kendall-Jackson wine brand was alawyer who became a skilled wine merchant and titan of the industry. In recent years, Jackson owned winning racehorses, including Rachel Alexandra. He was 81. Full obituary

The architect incorporated aerodynamic designs into his whimsical midcentury “Googie” coffee shops, including the original Norms on La Cienega Boulevard in L.A. and Pann’s in Westchester, to attract passing motorists. He was 94. Full obituary

He was considered a living god by millions of Hindus. After declaring himself the reincarnation of a Hindu saint in 1940, he built a loyal following, including politicians and celebrities, despite allegations of sexual abuse. He leaves a trust worth billions of dollars. He was 84. Full obituary

The singer gained fame with her 1974 hit, “Poetry Man.” She received wide acclaim for her self-titled album, which showed off her multi-octave range and musical versatility. She had suffered ahemorrhage in January 2010. She was 60. Full obituary

Pratt was a former Black Panther whose 1972 murder conviction was overturned after he spent 27 years behind bars for a crime he said he did not commit. He was 63. Full obituary

The saxophonist for‘s E Street Band put his stamp on such Springsteen classics as “Born to Run” and “Rosalita.” He was known both for his full-throttle tenor sax work and his larger-than-life onstage persona as “the Big Man.” He was 69. Full obituary

The internationally renowned American artist, whose work blurred the boundaries of painting, drawing and handwritten poetry, was recognized withandas one of the three most important American artists to emerge in the 1950s. Above, the artist at the Louvre, where he designed and painted the ceiling of a large gallery of bronze sculptures last year. He was 83. Full obituary

The former first lady captivated the nation with her unabashed candor and forthright discussion of her personal battles with, prescription drug addiction and. She founded the widely emulatedCenter in Rancho Mirage, Calif., for the treatment of chemical dependencies. She was 93. Full obituary

The comedy writer and producer created “Gilligan’s Island” and “. “ He also wrote the memorable theme-song lyrics for both the wacky tale of a shipwrecked “three-hour tour” and the story of the marriage between a “lovely lady” with three daughters and “a man named Brady” with three sons. Above, Schwartz in 2008 receives kisses from, who played Mrs. Brady, and, who played Mary Ann on “Gilligan’s Island.” He was 94. Full obituary

Lillian Mobley, a tireless South Los Angeles activist, fought to establish the King/Drew hospital and its related medical school. Above, Mobley, right, looks on as Dr. George Locke greets Rep.at King/Drew in 2004. She was 81. Full obituary

The British painter, whose works are highly prized by collectors, created subjects in anguished, anti-erotic poses. He used impasto, a technique involving the thick application of paint, to create his highly textured portraits. He was 88. Full obituary

He became the first foreign-born chairman of theand guided military and humanitarian efforts in the post-Cold War era of the 1990s. He was 75. Full obituary

The Oscar-nominated art director was best known for her work on “The Last Picture Show” and “Paper Moon,” both directed by former husband. She also was an executive in filmmaker’ company. She was 72. Full obituary

Theplayer, who was the No. 1 draft pick from Michigan State in 1967, played for the Baltimore, theand the Houston Oilers. Later, he appeared in popular beer commercials and acted in films and on TV. He was 66. Full obituary

Bernadine Healy, a cardiologist and educator, was the first woman to head the. She led therelief efforts after. She was 67. Full obituary

Marshall Grant, who worked as‘s road manager and played bass for him for more than two decades, helped create the singer’s famous sound. He was 83. Full obituary

June Wayne founded the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles in the 1960s, where leading artists collaborated with professional printers to create high-quality prints. She was also a prolific artist in her own right. She was 93. Full obituary

The Chicago bluesman, the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave, performed with the founders of the art form: Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Tommy McLennan, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big. He was the last of the bluesmen from his generation. He was 96. Full obituary

The NFL Hall of Famer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers teamed with his brothers to create a dominant defensive front and led Oklahoma to back-to-back national college championships. He was 56. (J. Meric / Getty Images)

He invented the first practical implantable pacemaker. The electrical engineer’s handmade device was named by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1983 as one of the 10 greatest engineering contributions to society in the previous 50 years. He was 92. Full obituary

Robinson owned Sugar Hill Records. The label released “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979. It’s considered the first mainstream hip-hop hit. She also had a solo hit with “Pillow Talk” in 1973. She was 76. Full obituary

Ralph Steinman died just days before the Nobel committee announced he had won thein Medicine. His heirs will still receive his share of the award because the Nobel committee did not know of his death. He and two others were honored for their work with the. He was 68. Full obituary

The Scottish singer-guitarist influenced rock and folk greats includingand, who credit Jansch’s effect on their music and celebrate his virtuosic playing and evocative songwriting. He was 67. Full obituary

Roger Williams was of the most popular instrumentalists of the mid-20th century and hit No. 1 on the pop charts in 1955 with his arpeggio-strewn “Autumn Leaves.” Between 1955 and 1972, he had 22 hit singles — including “Born Free” — and 38 hit albums. He was 87. Full obituary

The two-timewinner was killed in a 15-car wreck in the IndyCar series’ season-ending race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He was 33. Full obituary

The Native American activist was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that accused the federal government of cheating Native Americans in its management of Indian land, resulting in a record $3.4-billion settlement. She was 65. Full obituary

Erratic and mercurial, the Libyan leader fancied himself a political philosopher, practiced an unorthodox, deadly diplomacy and cut an at times cartoonish figure in robes and sunglasses and surrounded by female guards. He was 69. Obituary

A legendary producer, director and impresario of the Geffen Playhouse,restored the luster to thetelecasts, recruiting hosts such asand. He was 77. Full obituary

Matty Alou won thebatting title in 1966 while with the. He and his brothers Felipe and Jesus became the only trio of brothers to play outfield together in a 1963 game. He was 72. Full obituary.

The heavyweight champ had epic bouts withIn 1971 he became the first fighter to defeat Ali, then lost two rematches. In his 37 professional fights, “Smokin’ Joe” won 32 times. But he never accepted his 1-2 record against Ali. He was 67. Full obituary

The Bruins point guard, who in 1964 helpedwin his first national championship at UCLA, coached the team for four seasons. He was 69. Full obituary

Known as “Father Dollar Bill,” Father Maurice Chase handed out dollar bills on Los Angeles’ skid row, caring more about the gift of human love than about what his beneficiaries did with the money. He was 92. Full obituary

The daughter of starsand, Lewis wrote tenderly about her only meeting with Gable at age 15. Young, an unmarried, staunch Catholic, faked an adoption of Lewis, who did not learn the truth about her parentage until she was an adult. She had careers as an actress and a psychotherapist. She was 76. Full obituary

‘s snarling guitar helped define‘s sound. Though Sumlin never attained a fraction of the fame of his celebrated boss, he is revered by fellow blues musicians. He was 80. Full obituary

A former dissident playwright, Havel was the revered first president of Czechoslovakia after it overthrew Communist rule in 1989. His slogan: “May truth and love triumph over lies and hatred.” He was 75. Full obituary

Willard S. Boyle, who shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics for the invention of the revolutionary imaging device that is at the heart of digital cameras of all descriptions, died May 7 at a hospital in his home town of Wallace, Canada. He was 86 and had been suffering from kidney disease, friends said.

The digital imaging device, called the charge-coupled device, or CCD, allowed engineers for the first time to store a visual image in digital form, revolutionizing photography and a host of other fields. CCDs are at the heart of smartphones, camcorders, telescopes, supermarket bar-code scanners, fax machines and scanners, among other electronic devices.

FOR THE RECORD:

Willard Boyle: The obituary in the May 19 LATExtra section of Willard S. Boyle, who shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics, said that Boyle and colleague Don Nelson invented the ruby laser. They invented the continuous ruby laser. Ted Maiman invented the pulsed ruby laser. —

“Digital photography has become an irreplaceable tool in many fields of research,” the Nobel committee said in its prize announcement. “The CCD has provided new possibilities to visualize the previously unseen. It has given us crystal clear images of distant places in our universe as well as the depths of the oceans…. These inventions may have had a greater impact on humanity than any others in the last half-century.”

Advertisement

All of that from a simple brainstorming session whose goal was actually something entirely different.

In the fall of 1969, Boyle and his co-laureate, George E. Smith, both of them at Bell Laboratories, gathered in Boyle’s office after lunch to think about ways to develop a new memory device for computers. Within an hour, they had come up with the rudiments of the CCD.

They took advantage of the photoelectric effect, which won Albert Einstein the physics Nobel in 1921. In short, when light strikes a small piece of silicon, it knocks electrons out of their orbits. If the silicon has been formed into small photocells, or pixels, each cell acts as a well that captures and holds the electrons for an extended period.

Advertisement

Boyle and Smith’s key breakthrough was devising a way to read out the number and location of electrons captured in each well in an array of pixels. In a 10-by-10 array, for example, the data are converted into a chain of electron concentrations 100 pixels long. This can be converted back into visual information.

Within a year, they had given up on their memory device and produced a digital camera. Two years later, Fairchild Semiconductor of San Jose produced the first digital camera with a small (by modern standards) 100-pixel-by-100-pixel photo sensor (10,000 pixels total). The camera went into production a few years later. By 1975, Boyle and Smith had also produced a working video camera suitable for television.

Today, CCD imaging devices can exceed 100 megapixels to provide exceptionally sharp images.

Advertisement

Willard Sterling Boyle was born Aug. 19, 1924, in the Nova Scotia town of Amherst and raised in the nearby village of Wallace. When he was 3, the family moved to northern Quebec, where his father served as doctor for a logging community. Boyle was home-schooled by his mother because the nearest school was 30 miles away.

He attended high school at Lower Canada College in Montreal, then enrolled at McGill University in Montreal. But he dropped out in 1943 to join the Royal Canadian Navy, where he became a Spitfire pilot, landing on aircraft carriers. After the war, he returned to McGill, earning his doctorate in physics in 1950.

After a year at McGill’s Radiation Laboratory and two years teaching physics at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, he moved to the United States to join Bell Labs, where he spent the rest of his career.

Advertisement

In 1962, Boyle and his colleague Don Nelson invented the widely used ruby laser. He also participated, with colleague David Thomas, in the development of the semiconductor injection laser, a component of many electronic devices.

Beginning in 1964, he spent two years at a Bell subsidiary that worked with NASA, where he helped choose lunar landing sites for the Apollo program. He received 13 key patents and numerous prestigious awards in addition to the Nobel.

After retiring from Bell in 1979, the family moved back to Wallace, and he spent much of his time sailing his 33-foot boat on Eastern waterways.

Advertisement

Boyle is survived by his wife of 65 years, the former Betty Joyce; a son, David; daughters Cynthia and Pamela; 10 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

thomas.maugh@latimes.com