John Ambrose Fleming

Sir John Ambrose Fleming (sometimes also listed as Ambrose J. Fleming, November 29, 1849 - April 18, 1945) was an English electrical engineer and physicist. He was born John Ambrose Fleming on November 29 1849 to James and Mary Anne Fleming at Lancaster, Lancashire and baptised February 11 1850.

Later years

In November 1904 he invented and patented the two-electrode radio rectifier, which he called the oscillation valve. It was also called a thermionic valve, vacuum diode, kenotron, thermionic tube, or Fleming valve. This invention is often considered to have been the beginning of electronics.

Related Topics:
1904 - Thermionic valve

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In 1906 Lee De Forest of the USA added a control grid to the valve to create a vacuum tube RF detector called the Audion, leading Fleming to accuse him of plagiarism. De Forest's device was later refined into an amplifier.

Related Topics:
1906 - Lee De Forest - USA - Vacuum tube

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Fleming contributed in the fields of photometry, electronics, wireless telegraphy and electrical measurements. He was knighted in 1929 and died at Sidmouth in Devon.

Related Topics:
Photometry - Electronics - Wireless telegraphy - 1929 - Sidmouth - Devon

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