Serge Haroche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Serge Haroche
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Haroche in Stockholm (2012)
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| Born | 11 September 1944 |
| Nationality | French |
| Alma mater | École normale supérieure Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University (Ph.D.) |
| Known for | Cavity quantum electrodynamics |
| Awards | CNRS Gold medal (2009) Nobel Prize for Physics (2012) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University Yale University Collège de France |
| Doctoral advisor | Claude Cohen-Tannoudji |
Serge Haroche (born 11 September 1944) is a French physicist. He won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physics with David J. Wineland. They were honored for their "ground-breaking experimental methods". These methods help measure and control tiny particles. Their work focused on individual quantum systems, like the photon (a particle of light). His research also helped develop laser spectroscopy, a way to study how light interacts with matter.
Since 2001, Haroche has been a professor at the Collège de France. He holds the chair of quantum physics. In 1971, he earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Paris VI. His research was guided by Claude Cohen-Tannoudji.
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Early Life and School
Serge Haroche was born in Casablanca, Morocco. His father, Albert Haroche, was a lawyer. His mother, Valentine Haroche, was a teacher. His family had roots from both Sephardic and Ashkenazi backgrounds. His grandparents on his father's side were teachers. They worked at a school network called the École de l’Alliance israélite.
Haroche's family moved from Morocco to France in 1956. This was when the French protectorate ended.
Career Highlights
From 1967 to 1975, Haroche worked as a research scientist. He was at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) in France. He also spent a year (1972–1973) as a visiting researcher at Stanford University.
In 1975, he became a professor at Paris VI University. He also taught at other famous universities. These included the MIT (in 1980), Harvard University (in 1981), and Yale University (from 1984 to 1993). From 1994 to 2000, he led the Physics department at the École Normale Supérieure.
Since 2001, Haroche has been a professor at the Collège de France. He holds a special position in quantum physics. He is a member of several important physics groups. These include the Société Française de Physique and the American Physical Society.
In September 2012, his fellow scientists chose him to be the administrator of the Collège de France. On 9 October 2012, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics. He shared it with American physicist David Wineland. They won for their work on measuring and controlling tiny quantum systems. In 2022, he held the Fermi Chair of Physics at the University of Rome La Sapienza.
Important Research
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Haroche mainly works in atomic physics and quantum optics. He is well-known for showing quantum decoherence through experiments. Quantum decoherence is when a quantum system loses its special quantum properties. He did this with his team in Paris in 1996.
After his Ph.D., he developed new ways for laser spectroscopy. This included studying "quantum beats" and "superradiance." He then started working with Rydberg atoms. These are very large atoms that are super sensitive to microwaves. This makes them perfect for studying how light and matter interact.
He showed that these atoms, when placed in a special superconducting cavity with a few photons, are great for testing quantum decoherence. They can also be used to create quantum logic operations. These operations are needed for working with quantum information, which is like the future of computing.
Awards and Honors
- Commander of the French Legion of Honour
- 1988 Einstein Prize for Laser Science
- 1990 Fellow of the American Physical Society
- 1992 The Humboldt Prize
- 1993 Albert A. Michelson Medal
- 2007 Charles Hard Townes Award
- 2009 CNRS Gold medal
- 2010 Herbert Walther Award
- 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics (shared with David J. Wineland)
- 2017 IEEE Honorary Membership
Personal Life
Serge Haroche lives in Paris. He is married to Claudine Haroche, who is a sociologist. They have two children. He is also the uncle of French singer and actor Raphaël Haroche.
See also
In Spanish: Serge Haroche para niños
- List of nonreligious Nobel laureates
- Quantum decoherence
- Ramsey interferometry
- List of Jewish Nobel laureates
