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Rudolf Kompfner

Rudolf Kompfner (May 16, 1909 – December 3, 1977) was an Austrian-born inventor, physicist and architect, best known as the inventor of the traveling-wave tube (TWT).

Also recorded as R. Kompfner

Rudolf Kompfner

Name
Rudolf Kompfner
Born
16 May 1909
Birthplace
Vienna, Austria
Died
3 December 1977
Place of death
Stanford, California, United States
Field
Electrical engineering
Education
Oxford University, D.Phil.
Awards
Duddell Medal and Prize (1955) Stuart Ballantine Medal (1960) IEEE Medal of Honor(1973) National Medal of Science (1974)
Nationality
Austria · United Kingdom · United States · United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Occupation
physicist · engineer · architect · inventor

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Rudolf Kompfner (May 16, 1909 – December 3, 1977) was an Austrian-born inventor, physicist and architect, best known as the inventor of the traveling-wave tube (TWT).

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Rudolf Kompfner (1909–1977) was an Austrian and British architect, engineer and inventor, among other activities. Born in Vienna, the architect died in Stanford.

Rudolf Kompfner studied at TU Wien and University of Oxford. The architect worked for Bell Labs, British Admiralty Office and University of Birmingham and was a member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences and National Academy of Sciences. Rudolf Kompfner was active in electrical engineering.

Languages used include English. The architect received Dennis Gabor Medal and Prize, honorary doctor of the Vienna Technical University and IEEE David Sarnoff Award, among others.

Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026

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wikidata · Q94031 · wikipedia · Rudolf Kompfner

In this article

  1. 01Biography
  2. 02Archives and collections
  3. 03Notes, references and evidence

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