Robert Williams Wood (2.05.1868-11.08.1955) was an American experimental physicist and a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1912). He was born in Concord. He graduated from Harvard University (1891). In 1897-1901 he worked at the University of Wisconsin and in 1901—38 he was professor at Johns Hopkins University.
His main work was in the field of physical optics. He discovered (1902) optical resonance. He obtained a number of important results on diffraction, interference, polarisation and anomalous dispersion. He detected (1908) the polarisation of the luminescence of diatomic molecules. He was one of the first to confirm the Raman scattering of light (1928). Wood's spectroscopic research laid the foundations of the theory of atomic and molecular spectra. His spectrographs, diffraction gratings, high-aperture apparatus for obtaining Raman spectra and other instruments played a large part in the new physics and in astrophysics. He was a pioneer of ultraviolet and infrared photography. He also made a considerable contribution to ultrasonic technology, molecular physics and other fields.
An honorary member of many academies of sciences and scientific societies, and a foreign member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1930). The B. Rumford (1938) and H. Draper (1940) medals and others.