Gerd Binnig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerd Binnig
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Binnig in 2013
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| Born | 20 July 1947 |
| Alma mater | Goethe University Frankfurt |
| Known for | Scanning tunneling microscope Scanning probe microscopy Atomic force microscope |
| Awards | Klung Wilhelmy Science Award (1983) EPS Europhysics Prize (1984) King Faisal Prize (1984) Nobel Prize in Physics (1986) The Elliott Cresson Medal (1987) Kavli Prize (2016) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Institutions | IBM Zurich Research Laboratory |
| Doctoral advisor | Werner Martienssen Eckhardt Hoenig |
| Doctoral students | Franz Josef Giessibl |
Gerd Binnig (born 20 July 1947) is a German physicist. He is famous for winning the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986. He shared the prize with Heinrich Rohrer for inventing the scanning tunneling microscope.
Early Life and Learning
Gerd Binnig was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. As a child, he played in the city's ruins. His family lived in both Frankfurt and Offenbach am Main. He went to school in both cities too.
When he was 10, Gerd decided to become a physicist. But he soon wondered if it was the right choice. He spent more time on music, playing in a band. He also started playing the violin at age 15 and joined his school orchestra.
Gerd studied physics at the Goethe University Frankfurt. He earned his first degree in 1973. He stayed there to get his PhD, which he finished in 1978.
Amazing Inventions
In 1978, Gerd Binnig joined the IBM research group in Zurich. There, he worked with Heinrich Rohrer, Christoph Gerber, and Edmund Weibel. Together, they created the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). This special tool lets scientists see surfaces at the atomic level. Imagine seeing things smaller than tiny dust!
The Nobel committee said the STM opened "entirely new fields" for studying matter. The basic ideas behind the STM were known. But Gerd and his team were the first to make it actually work. This was a huge challenge!
The IBM Zurich team quickly won many awards for their work. These included the German Physics Prize and the King Faisal Prize. In 1986, Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer shared half of the Nobel Prize in Physics. The other half went to Ernst Ruska.
From 1985 to 1988, Gerd worked in California. He was at IBM in Almaden Valley. He was also a visiting professor at Stanford University.
In 1985, Gerd Binnig invented another amazing tool: the atomic force microscope (AFM). He worked with Christoph Gerber and Calvin Quate to build a working version. This new microscope could look at surfaces that don't conduct electricity.
In 1987, Gerd became an IBM Fellow. This is a very high honor at IBM. That same year, he started a new IBM Physics group in Munich. They focused on creativity and atomic force microscopy.
In 1994, Professor Gerd Binnig started a company called Definiens. It became a full business in 2000. The company developed special technology to analyze images. It worked much like the human eye and brain.
In 2016, Gerd won the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience. He also became a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
The Binnig and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center in Zurich is named after Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer. It's an IBM research center.
Personal Life
In 1969, Gerd Binnig married Lore Wagler, who is a psychologist. They have a daughter who was born in Switzerland. Their son was born in California. Gerd enjoys reading, swimming, and playing golf in his free time.
See also
In Spanish: Gerd Binnig para niños
