Heinrich Rohrer was a distinguished Swiss physicist renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to experimental physics and nanotechnology. Born in Buchs, St. Gallen, Switzerland on June 6, 1933, he received his bachelor's degree in 1955 and doctorate in experimental physics in 1960 from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Following two years of postdoctoral research at Rutgers University in New Jersey, he joined IBM's Research Laboratory in Rüschlikon in 1963, where he would remain for the duration of his career until retirement in 1997. Early in his career at IBM, Rohrer conducted significant research on superconductivity and magnetic phenomena before turning his attention to the challenges of atomic-scale imaging.
Rohrer's most transformative contribution came through his collaboration with Gerd Binnig, culminating in the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) in 1981, which revolutionized scientists' ability to observe and manipulate matter at the atomic level. The STM operated on quantum mechanical principles, using an extremely fine conducting probe to scan surfaces at distances of mere atomic diameters, thereby generating three-dimensional images of individual atoms and molecular structures. This remarkable instrument enabled unprecedented visualization of atomic arrangements, surface defects, and chemical interactions, fundamentally transforming surface science and materials research. The immediate and profound impact of this innovation was recognized with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986, awarded jointly to Rohrer and Binnig for their paradigm-shifting contribution to scientific instrumentation.
Today, Rohrer is widely regarded as the father of modern nanotechnology, as the STM created the foundation for all subsequent scanning probe microscopy techniques that have become indispensable tools across numerous scientific disciplines. His invention paved the way for the systematic exploration and manipulation of nanoscale phenomena, catalyzing the emergence of nanoscience as a major interdisciplinary field with applications spanning semiconductor technology, materials engineering, molecular biology, and electrochemistry. The STM's legacy continues to expand as researchers build upon its principles to develop increasingly sophisticated instruments capable of not only imaging but also precisely manipulating individual atoms and molecules. Rohrer's visionary work remains foundational to contemporary nanotechnology research, with his pioneering spirit continuing to inspire generations of scientists to explore the atomic world with ever-greater precision and creativity.
