George E. Smith
Bell Labs physicist who co-invented the CCD image sensor
- Lived
- 95 yrs
- 1930 – 2025
- Works listed
- 1
- Paper
- Honours
- 3
- Most recent 2017
- Profile views
- 2
- 0 followers
George Smith was an American physicist who co-invented the charge-coupled device (CCD) with Willard Boyle at Bell Labs in 1969, the sensor that made digital imaging possible. They shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics. He died in 2025.
Biography
Background
Smith served in the US Navy, studied at the University of Pennsylvania and earned a PhD in physics at the University of Chicago in 1959. He joined Bell Labs that year.
The CCD
Bell Labs management encouraged work on semiconductor memory to compete with magnetic bubble memory. In 1969 Smith and Boyle conceived the CCD, which shifts packets of charge across a chip. It proved far more valuable as an imaging sensor.
Bell Labs career
Smith led the device-concepts department at Bell Labs and held numerous patents.
Retirement and sailing
He retired in 1986 and spent 17 years sailing around the world with his partner. He shared the 2009 Nobel Prize and the 2017 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering for image sensors. He died in May 2025.
Timeline
-
1930
Born in White Plains, New York, United States
-
1959
PhD from Chicago; joins Bell Labs
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1969
CCD invented
-
1986
Retires
-
2006
Draper Prize
-
2009
Nobel Prize in Physics
-
2017
Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
-
2025
Dies
-
2025
Died, aged 95
Notable works
-
1970
Charge Coupled Semiconductor Devices Paper
With Willard Boyle.
Awards and honours
-
Charles Stark Draper Prize
2006
-
Nobel Prize in Physics
2009
-
Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
2017
Did you know?
-
1
He sailed around the world after retiring.
-
2
The CCD was invented in about an hour of brainstorming.
-
3
Smartphones now use CMOS sensors, successors of the CCD.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is George E. Smith?
George Smith was an American physicist who co-invented the charge-coupled device (CCD) with Willard Boyle at Bell Labs in 1969, the sensor that made digital imaging possible. They shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics. He died in 2025.
When did George E. Smith die?
George E. Smith died on 28 May 2025 at the age of 95.
Where is George E. Smith from?
George E. Smith was born in White Plains, New York, United States.
What is George E. Smith known for?
George E. Smith is best known for Charge-coupled device (CCD, 1969); Nobel Prize in Physics 2009.
What awards has George E. Smith received?
Notable honours include Charles Stark Draper Prize (2006), Nobel Prize in Physics (2009), Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (2017).
References
- George E. Smith — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- George E. Smith — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- George E. Smith — Nobel Prize facts. NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- George E. Smith — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- George E. Smith (Q76373) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “George E. Smith”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“George E. Smith.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/george-e-smith
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