Heinrich Rohrer

Heinrich Rohrer was a renowned Swiss physicist who made significant contributions to the field of Physics, particularly in the development of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) at IBM Research Laboratory in Rüschlikon, Switzerland. His work, in collaboration with Gerd Binnig, led to a deeper understanding of Surface Science and Nanotechnology, earning him numerous accolades, including the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986, alongside Gerd Binnig and Ernst Ruska. Rohrer's innovative approach to Microscopy has had a profound impact on various fields, including Materials Science, Chemistry, and Biology, with applications in University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

● Early Life and Education

Heinrich Rohrer was born in Buchs, St. Gallen, Switzerland, and spent his early years in St. Gallen, where he developed an interest in Physics and Mathematics, inspired by the works of Albert Einstein and Max Planck. He pursued his higher education at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, where he earned his degree in Physics in 1955, under the guidance of Wolfgang Pauli and Paul Scherrer. Rohrer then moved to University of Zurich to pursue his doctoral studies, working under the supervision of Paul Scherrer and Hans Staub, and earning his Ph.D. in 1960, with a thesis on Superconductivity and Low-Temperature Physics, related to the work of Heike Kamerlingh Onnes and Lev Landau.

● Career

Rohrer began his career as a research scientist at IBM Research Laboratory in Rüschlikon, Switzerland, in 1963, where he worked alongside notable scientists, including Gerd Binnig and Nikolay Bogolyubov. During his tenure at IBM, Rohrer made significant contributions to the development of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), a technique that enables the imaging of surfaces at the atomic level, with applications in Bell Labs and Xerox PARC. His work at IBM also involved collaborations with other prominent researchers, including Ernst Ruska and Manfred Eigen, and institutions like University of Cambridge and California Institute of Technology.

● Research and Innovations

Rohrer's research focused on the development of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), which revolutionized the field of Surface Science and Nanotechnology, with implications for University of Oxford and University of Tokyo. His work, in collaboration with Gerd Binnig, led to the creation of the first Scanning Tunneling Microscope in 1981, at IBM Research Laboratory, using techniques developed by Richard Feynman and Murray Gell-Mann. This innovation enabled the imaging of surfaces at the atomic level, with applications in Materials Science, Chemistry, and Biology, and collaborations with Harvard University and University of Chicago. Rohrer's research also explored the properties of Superconductors and Magnetic Materials, related to the work of Brian Josephson and Andrei Geim.

● Awards and Honors

Rohrer's contributions to Physics and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy earned him numerous awards and honors, including the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986, alongside Gerd Binnig and Ernst Ruska, and the Elliott Cresson Medal in 1987, from the Franklin Institute, and the King Faisal International Prize in 1986, from the King Faisal Foundation. He was also awarded honorary degrees from University of Geneva and University of Basel, and was elected a foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a fellow of the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics.

● Personal Life

Rohrer was married to Rose-Marie Egger and had two daughters, Dorothy Rohrer and Ursula Rohrer, and was known for his love of Mountaineering and Skiing, with a strong connection to the Swiss Alps and the European Physical Society. He passed away on May 16, 2013, in Wollerau, Switzerland, leaving behind a legacy of innovative research and contributions to the scientific community, with tributes from CERN and European Organization for Nuclear Research. Throughout his life, Rohrer maintained strong ties to his alma mater, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), and was a frequent visitor to University of Zurich and University of California, Los Angeles, and a supporter of the European Research Council and the National Science Foundation. Category:Swiss physicists