The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea (한국음향학회지)

The Acoustical Society of Korea (한국음향학회)
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Between Invention and Discovery: A. G. Bell's Photophone and Photoacoustic Research

발명과 발견의 사이에서: 앨릭잰더 그레이엄 벨의 포토폰과 광음향학 연구

  • Ku, Ja-Hyon (University College of Undeclared Majors, Youngsan University)
  • Received : 2011.12.08
  • Accepted : 2012.02.01
  • Published : 2012.02.29
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Abstract

The photophone, Alexander Graham Bell's device for transmitting sound through light was patented in 1880. It included the transmitter modulating and reflecting strong light like sunlight to a distant receiver which produced sound. In this working of the photophone, the discovery of the sound-emitting effect under illumination was very essential. Longing for being famous in the scientific community, Bell focused on presenting various methods for producing sounds and for maximizing the loudness by performing intensive research on the photoacoustic effect. Bell's scientific research on photoacoustics was successful in establishing himself as a scientist and laid a foundation of photoacoustic analysis. And his invention became a basis for other researchers' subsequent technologies like fiber-optic communication.

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References

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