“Steve possessed a very rare combination of artistic appreciation, creativity and science and engineering acumen that found fertile ground to germinate in the field of holography,” said Klug. “But he also had a clear passion for many things Japanese, including Zen gardens.”

Plesniak said Benton also cared deeply about his family.

“He loved his family—he was enormously proud of them,” she said.

Benton was known to have a wry sense of humor, said Klug, who recalled many times when Benton’s students would play pranks on him for a little entertainment.

“We liked to hack Steve,” said Klug, who admitted to pranks such as switching Benton’s new Macintosh computer with an old PC and stitching fake fur to the underarms of his coat.

Benton held 14 patents in holography, photography and optical physics and also published 46 articles on his work over the years. He has a collection of holograms at the MIT Museum, and many of his works have also been displayed at the Museum of Holography in New York.

Benton grew up in Santa Barbara, Calif., and later lived in Lincoln, Mass. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne L. Benton, his son and daughter, and two brothers.