Basov graduated fromMoscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI) in 1950. He then held a professorship at MEPhI and also worked in theLebedev Physical Institute (LPI), where he defended a dissertation for theCandidate of Sciences degree (equivalent toPhD) in 1953 and a dissertation for theDoctor of Sciences degree in 1956. Basov was the Director of the LPI in 1973–1988. He was elected ascorresponding member of theUSSR Academy of Sciences (Russian Academy of Sciences since 1991) in 1962 andFull Member of the Academy in 1966.[1] In 1967, he was elected a Member of the Presidium of the Academy (1967—1990), and since 1990 he was the councillor of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1971 he was elected a Member of theGerman Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.[5] He was Honorary President and Member of the International Academy of Science, Munich.[6][7] He was the head of the laboratory of quantum radiophysics at the LPI until his death in 2001.[3]
In the early 1950s Basov and Prokhorov developed theoretical grounds for creation of a molecular oscillator and constructed such an oscillator based onammonia. Later this oscillator became known asmaser. They also proposed a method for the production ofpopulation inversion using inhomogeneous electric and magnetic fields. Their results were presented at a national conference in 1952 and published in 1954. Basov then proceeded to the development of laser, an analogous generator of coherent light. In 1955 he designed athree-level laser, and in 1959 suggested constructing asemiconductor laser, which he built with collaborators in 1963.[1] Basov with co-workers proposedDisk laser in 1966[8] and realized experimentally the thin diskactive mirror semiconductor lasers.[9]He developed with colleaguaes the first nonlinear theory ofcoherent addition of laser sets.[10] N.G.Basov encouraged the researchers innonlinear optics inLebedev Institute who discovered theoptical phase conjugation.[11]Together withLebedev Institute researchers he realized the robust method of the phase-locking of laser arrays viaoptical phase conjugation inStimulated Brillouin scattering.[12][13]
Basov's contributions to the development of the laser and maser, which won him theNobel Prize in 1964, also led to new missile defense initiatives.[14]
N. G. Basov, K. A. Brueckner (Editor-in-Chief), S. W. Haan, C. Yamanaka.Inertial Confinement Fusion, 1992, Research Trends in Physics Series published by the American Institute of Physics Press (presentlySpringer, New York).ISBN0-88318-925-9.
V. Stefan and N. G. Basov (Editors).Semiconductor Science and Technology, Volume 1.SemiconductorLasers. (Stefan University Press Series on Frontiers in Science and Technology) (Paperback), 1999.ISBN1-889545-11-2.
V. Stefan and N. G. Basov (Editors).Semiconductor Science and Technology, Volume 2:Quantum Dots andQuantum Wells. (Stefan University Press Series on Frontiers in Science and Technology) (Paperback), 1999.ISBN1-889545-12-0.
^Bogdankevich, OV; Darznek, SA; Pechenov, A N; Vasiliev, BI; Zverev, MM (1973). "Semiconductor electron-beam-pumped lasers of the radiating mirror type".IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics.9 (2):342–347.Bibcode:1973IJQE....9..342B.doi:10.1109/JQE.1973.1077470.
^Basov, Nikolai G.; Belenov, E. M.; Letokhov, Vladilen S. (1993). "Diffraction synchronization of lasers". In Lebedev, Fedor V.; Napartovich, Anatoly P. (eds.).CIS Selected Papers: High-Power Multibeam Lasers and Their Phase Locking. Proceedings of SPIE. Vol. 2109. pp. 134–144.doi:10.1117/12.160374.S2CID110333595.
^Zel'dovich, B Ya; Popovichev, V I; Ragul'skii, V V; Faizullov, F S (1972). "Connection Between the Wave Fronts of the Reflected and Exciting Light in Stimulated Mandel'shtem-Brillouin Scattering".Sov. Phys. JETP Lett.15 (6): 109.Bibcode:1972JETPL..15..109Z.
^Basov, N G; Zubarev, I G; Mironov, A B; Michailov, S I; Okulov, A Yu (1980). "Laser interferometer with wavefront reversing mirrors".Sov. Phys. JETP.52 (5): 847.Bibcode:1980ZhETF..79.1678B.
