The scanning tunneling microscope emerged from a research group at IBM Zurich, allowing scientists to image individual atoms on surfaces for the first time. Gerd Binnig played a central role in this development, an accomplishment that redefined how matter is studied at an atomic scale and altered the trajectory of experimental physics throughout the late twentieth century.
Academic Foundations in Frankfurt
Born in Frankfurt am Main in 1947, Gerd Binnig spent his early years living in both Frankfurt and Offenbach am Main. By age ten, he identified physics as his intended career path, though his youth also involved significant engagement with music, including playing the violin and performing in school ensembles. He pursued his higher education at Goethe University Frankfurt, completing his bachelor's degree in 1973. He continued at the same institution to conduct his doctoral research within the group led by Werner Martienssen, eventually receiving his PhD in 1978 under the supervision of Eckhardt Hoenig.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →IBM Research and Instrumentation
Upon joining IBM in 1978, Binnig moved to the company's research facilities in Zurich. There, he collaborated with Heinrich Rohrer, Christoph Gerber, and Edmund Weibel to overcome experimental hurdles that had long prevented the imaging of surfaces at an atomic level. Their work resulted in the scanning tunneling microscope. While the underlying physical principles were known, the team successfully engineered the device, opening new fields for the study of material structures. In 1985, Binnig further expanded this work by inventing the atomic force microscope, later refining it for use on insulating surfaces alongside Christoph Gerber and Calvin Quate.
Distinctions and Professional Evolution
The impact of the scanning tunneling microscope led to widespread recognition, including the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics, which Binnig shared with Heinrich Rohrer. Named an IBM Fellow in 1987, he established the IBM Physics group in Munich. In 1994, he founded Definiens, a firm focused on image analysis technology. His contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience in 2016.
Fast facts
- Born: 1947, Frankfurt
- Nobel Prize in Physics: 1986
- PhD: Goethe University Frankfurt, 1978
- IBM Fellow: Appointed 1987
- Key Invention: Scanning tunneling microscope
- Commercial Venture: Founded Definiens, 1994
- Kavli Prize in Nanoscience: 2016
- Languages: German
Questions readers ask
What is the primary significance of the scanning tunneling microscope?
It enabled the imaging of surfaces at the atomic level, which opened entirely new areas for the study of the structure of matter.
Did Binnig work only in Switzerland?
No, he also worked in Germany and spent time in California between 1985 and 1988, including a tenure at Stanford University.
