Story
Prof. Sajeev John, an Indian-origin physicist at the University of Toronto, co-invented photonic crystals (with Eli Yablonovitch, 1987) — materials that trap and guide light the way semiconductors control electrons. They are used in optical fibres, lasers and solar cells.
Key contributions
- Theory of light localisation and photonic band-gap materials
- King Faisal Prize (2001, shared)
- Fellow of the Royal Society (2025); named a Clarivate Citation Laureate ('Nobel-class') in 2011