Charles Kittel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Kittel
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| Born | July 18, 1916 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | May 15, 2019 (aged 102) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Known for | RKKY interaction Introduction to Solid State Physics textbook |
| Awards | Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize (1957) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Institutions | University of California, Berkeley Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bell Laboratories |
| Thesis | The fine structure of nuclear energy levels on the alpha model (1941) |
| Doctoral advisor | Gregory Breit |
| Doctoral students | Elihu Abrahams Raymond L. Orbach< Albert Overhauser |
Charles Kittel (born July 18, 1916 – died May 15, 2019) was an important American physicist. He was a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, starting in 1951. He became a professor emeritus (a retired professor who keeps their title) in 1978 and held this title until he passed away.
Charles Kittel's Journey in Physics
Charles Kittel was born in New York City in 1916. He studied at the University of Cambridge in England. There, he earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (BA), in 1938.
He completed his advanced research paper, called a thesis, in 1941. He worked under Gregory Breit at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. From 1945 to 1947, he worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
During World War II, Charles Kittel joined a special group. This group researched submarine operations. He also served in the United States Navy. From 1947 to 1951, he worked at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. He focused on studying ferromagnetism, which is about how some materials become strong magnets.
From 1951 to 1978, Kittel worked at the University of California, Berkeley. He taught students and did research there. His main area was theoretical solid-state physics. This is a part of condensed-matter physics, which studies the physical properties of matter.
Kittel received a special award called a Guggenheim Fellowship three times. He got it in 1945, 1956, and 1963. Many famous researchers worked with him, like James C. Phillips and Pierre-Gilles de Gennes.
Among his many discoveries, Kittel is known for the RKKY interaction. This is a way that tiny magnetic parts in a material talk to each other. He also discovered the Kittel magnon mode in magnets.
Physics students all over the world use his famous textbook. It is called Introduction to Solid State Physics. This book has been updated many times and is now in its 8th edition. In 1957, he became a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for scientists.
Charles Kittel lived to be 102 years old. He passed away on May 15, 2019.
Awards and Honors
- Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize, 1957
- Berkeley Distinguished Teacher Award, 1970
- Oersted Medal, American Association of Physics Teachers, 1979
Books by Charles Kittel
- Introduction to Solid State Physics, first published in 1953. The 8th edition came out in 2005. ISBN: 0-471-41526-X
- Quantum Theory of Solids, published in 1963. ISBN: 0-471-49025-3 A later version with C. Y. Fong was published in 1987. ISBN: 0-471-62412-8
- Thermal Physics, the 2nd edition was published in 1980. ISBN: 0-7167-1088-9 He also wrote it with H. Kroemer in 1980.
- Berkeley Physics Course. Mechanics. Vol. 1, written with Walter Knight and Malvin A. Ruderman.
- Elementary Statistical Physics, published in 1958. It was reprinted many times. A new copy was published in 2004. ISBN: 9780486435145
See also
In Spanish: Charles Kittel para niños
- Antiferroelectricity
- Ferromagnetic resonance
- Single domain (magnetic)
