The 2009 Nobel Prize for Physics was jointly awarded to Charles K. Kao for "groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication", and to Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith for "the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit – the CCD sensor".

Further information can be found at the official Nobel Prize website: -http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2009/index.html.

Acknowledgments: The attached photographs were reproduced from the Nobel Prize website where the photograph of Charles K. Kao is attributed to Richard Epworth, that of Willard S. Boyle is attributed to the National Academy of Engineering and that of George Smith to the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation/SCANPIX.