Heinrich Rohrer

Biography

Abstract

Heinrich Rohrer was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics alongside Gerd Binnig "for their design of the scanning tunneling microscope." Most of his career was spent at the IBM Research Laboratory in his home country, Switzerland.

Important Dates

June 6, 1933Birth, Saint Gall (Switzerland).

1955Obtained BSc degree in Physics, Swiss Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich), Zurich (Switzerland).

1960Obtained PhD in Physics, Swiss Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich), Zurich (Switzerland).

1961Post doctoral researcher, Rutgers University, New Jersey.

1963 – 1997Research Assistant; Head of Physics Department; and Fellow, IBM Research Laboratory, Rüschlikon (Switzerland).

1974 – 1975Visiting Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1979Submitted patent for Scanning Tunneling Microscope with Gerd Binnig.

1984Awarded the EPS Europhysics Prize, European Physical Society.

1986Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics alongside Gerd Binnig "for their design of the scanning tunneling microscope".

May 16, 2013Death, Wollerau (Switzerland).

Occupation

Nanotechnology physicist.

Places

Birth

Saint Gall (Switzerland)

Undergraduate Education

Zurich (Switzerland)

Graduate Education

Zurich (Switzerland)

Employment

Rüschlikon (Switzerland)

Zurich (Switzerland)

Death

Wollerau (Switzerland)

Subjects

Microscopy.

Nanotechnology.

Scanning tunneling microscopy.

Relationships

People

Family

Egger, Rose-Marie

Wife, married 1961.

Rohrer, Doris

Daughter.

Rohrer, Ellen

Daughter.

Advisors & Collaborators

Binnig, Gerd, 1947-

Shared Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986 "for their design of the scanning tunneling.”

Busch, Georg, 1908-

Advisor at Swiss Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich).

Grassmann, Peter 1907-1994

Advisor at Swiss Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich).

Müller, K. A. (Karl A.), 1927-

Advisor at IBM Reseach Laboratory.

Olsen, J. L. (Jørgen Lykke), 1923-2006

PhD advisor at Swiss Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich).

Pauli, Wolfgang, 1900-1958

Advisor at Swiss Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich).

Scherrer, Paul

Advisor at Swiss Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich).

Serin, Bernard

Advisor at Rutgers University.

Speiser, Ambros P., 1922-

Advisor at IBM Research Laboratory.

Colleagues

Jaccarino, Vincent

Both worked at University of California, Santa Barbara.

King, Allen L.

Both worked at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Additional

Lüthi, Bruno

Ruska, Ernst

Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986 for a separate project.

Institutions

Major Positions

IBM Zürich Research Laboratory

Research Assistant; Head, Physics Department; and Fellow.

Rutgers University. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Postdoctoral Researcher.

University of California, Santa Barbara. Department of Physics

Visiting Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich

Received BSc in Physics (1955) and PhD in Physics (1960).

European Physical Society

Awarded the EPS Europhysics Prize (1984).

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

American Institute of Physics Physics Today division Bertram Schwarzschild Nobel Prize files, 1954-2013.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Subject

Heinrich Rohrer New York Times obituary.

Heinrich Rohrer Nobel Prize biography.

Heinrich Rohrer Physics Today obituary.

Magnet Academy: Heinrich Rohrer Biography