| Peter Franken | |
| Birth Date: | November 10, 1928 |
| Fields: | Physics |
| Workplaces: | University of Michigan |
Peter A. Franken (November 10, 1928 – March 11, 1999) was an American physicist who contributed to the field of nonlinear optics. He was president of the Optical Society of America in 1977.[1] In 1961, Professor Peter Franken and his coworkers in the Randall Laboratory at the University of Michigan observed for the first time the second-harmonic generation. This event launched a golden age in optical physics that has led to applications in fields ranging from optical communications and biological imaging to X-ray generation and homeland security.[2] In 1985 he contributed an oral history to the American Institute of Physics in which he describes background and details of his early work.[3]