3 scientists share 2009 Nobel Prize for physics

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A pioneer in fibre optics and two scientists who figured out how to turn light into electronic signals have been awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for physics.

Gunnar Oquist, Secretary of Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said, "The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2009 Nobel prize in Physics with one half to Charles Kao, formerly working at Standard Telecommunications Laboratories in Harlow, United Kingdom and at the Chinese University, Hong Kong."

The Shanghai-born British-American, Charles Kao, won half the 10 million Swedish crown prize for a discovery that led to a breakthrough in long-distance light transmission via optical glass fibres.

Willard Boyle, a Canadian-American, and George Smith of the United States shared the other half for inventing the first successful imaging technology using a digital sensor.

Willard Boyle, Nobel Prize winner, said, "I'm enjoying the freedom from that phone. It's been ringing absolutely steadily for the last three hours, I guess. Ever since early this morning when I was awaken by Betty here and she was pounding me, and she said 'Stockholm is phoning'."

Geirge Smith, Nobel Prize winner, said, "As soon as we came up with the CCD mechanism, which was motivated by memory, we saw, aha, this is going to make a very good imaging device also."

The Nobel prizes, first awarded in 1901, are given annually for achievements in chemistry, physics, medicine, peace, literature and economics.