Nevill Francis Mott
Encyclopedia
Sir Nevill Francis Mott, CH
, FRS (30 September 1905 – 8 August 1996) was an English
physicist
. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1977 for his work on the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered
systems, especially amorphous semiconductors. The award was shared with Philip W. Anderson
and J. H. Van Vleck
, who had pursued independent research.
to Lilian Mary Reynolds and Charles Francis Mott. and grew up first in the village of Giggleswick
, in the West Riding of Yorkshire
, where his father was Senior Science Master at the local school. The family moved (due to his father's jobs) first to Staffordshire, then to Chester and finally Liverpool, where his father had been appointed Director of Education. Mott was at first educated at home by his mother, who was a Cambridge Mathematics Tripos graduate. His parents met in the Cavendish Laboratory, when both engaged in Physics research. At ten years of age he began formal education at Clifton College
in Bristol
, then at St. John's College
, Cambridge
, where he read the Mathematics Tripos
.
in 1929. He returned to Cambridge in 1930 as a Fellow and lecturer of Gonville and Caius College
and in 1933 moved to the University of Bristol
as Melville Wills Professor in Theoretical Physics.
In 1948 he became Henry Overton Wills Professor of Physics and Director of the Henry Herbert Wills
Physical Laboratory at Bristol. In 1954 he was appointed Cavendish Professor of Physics
at Cambridge, a post he held until 1971. Additionally he served as Master of Gonville and Caius College, 1959-1966.
Mott's accomplishments include explaining theoretically the effect of light
on a photographic emulsion
(see latent image
) and outlining the transition of substances from metal
lic to nonmetallic states (Mott transition
). The term Mott insulator
is also named for him. He introduced Mott polynomials
.
Mott was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1936. Mott served as president of the Physical Society
in 1957. In the early 1960s he was chairman of the British Pugwash
group. He was knighted in 1962.http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=42552&geotype=London&gpn=2&type=ArchivedIssuePage&all=&exact=Mott&atleast=&similar= He continued to work until he was about ninety. He was made a Companion of Honour in 1995.
in Buckinghamshire
.
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
, FRS (30 September 1905 – 8 August 1996) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
physicist
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1977 for his work on the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered
Amorphous solid
In condensed matter physics, an amorphous or non-crystalline solid is a solid that lacks the long-range order characteristic of a crystal....
systems, especially amorphous semiconductors. The award was shared with Philip W. Anderson
Philip Warren Anderson
Philip Warren Anderson is an American physicist and Nobel laureate. Anderson has made contributions to the theories of localization, antiferromagnetism and high-temperature superconductivity.- Biography :...
and J. H. Van Vleck
John Hasbrouck van Vleck
John Hasbrouck Van Vleck was an American physicist and mathematician, co-awarded the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physics, for his contributions to the understanding of the behavior of electrons in magnetic solids....
, who had pursued independent research.
Early years
Mott was born in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
to Lilian Mary Reynolds and Charles Francis Mott. and grew up first in the village of Giggleswick
Giggleswick
Giggleswick is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England near the town of Settle. It is the site of Giggleswick School.-Origin of name:A Dictionary of British Place Names contains the entry:...
, in the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, where his father was Senior Science Master at the local school. The family moved (due to his father's jobs) first to Staffordshire, then to Chester and finally Liverpool, where his father had been appointed Director of Education. Mott was at first educated at home by his mother, who was a Cambridge Mathematics Tripos graduate. His parents met in the Cavendish Laboratory, when both engaged in Physics research. At ten years of age he began formal education at Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, then at St. John's College
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he read the Mathematics Tripos
Cambridge Mathematical Tripos
The Mathematical Tripos is the taught mathematics course at the University of Cambridge. It is the oldest Tripos that is examined in Cambridge.-Origin:...
.
Career
Mott was appointed to a lecturership at the University of ManchesterUniversity of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
in 1929. He returned to Cambridge in 1930 as a Fellow and lecturer of Gonville and Caius College
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
and in 1933 moved to the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
as Melville Wills Professor in Theoretical Physics.
In 1948 he became Henry Overton Wills Professor of Physics and Director of the Henry Herbert Wills
Henry Herbert Wills
Henry Herbert Wills was a businessman and philanthropist from Bristol.He was the son of Henry Overton Wills III and Alice Hopkinson and was born in Clifton, Bristol, Gloucestershire. He was educated at Clifton College. He was a member of the board for the Imperial Tobacco Company.His name is...
Physical Laboratory at Bristol. In 1954 he was appointed Cavendish Professor of Physics
Cavendish Professor of Physics
The Cavendish Professorship is one of the senior Professorships in Physics at Cambridge University. It was founded by grace of 9 February 1871 alongside the famous Cavendish Laboratory which was completed three years later...
at Cambridge, a post he held until 1971. Additionally he served as Master of Gonville and Caius College, 1959-1966.
Mott's accomplishments include explaining theoretically the effect of light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
on a photographic emulsion
Film stock
Film stock is photographic film on which filmmaking of motion pictures are shot and reproduced. The equivalent in television production is video tape.-1889–1899:...
(see latent image
Latent image
A latent image on photographic film is an invisible image produced by the exposure of the film to light. When the film is developed, the area that was exposed darkens and forms a visible image...
) and outlining the transition of substances from metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
lic to nonmetallic states (Mott transition
Mott transition
A Mott transition is a metal-nonmetal transition in condensed matter. Due to electric field screening the potential energy becomes much sharper peaked around the equilibrium position of the atom and electrons become localized and can no longer conduct a current.-Conceptual explanation:In a...
). The term Mott insulator
Mott insulator
Mott insulators are a class of materials that should conduct electricity under conventional band theories, but are insulators when measured...
is also named for him. He introduced Mott polynomials
Mott polynomials
In mathematics the Mott polynomials sn are polynomials introduced by who applied them to a problem in the theory of electrons.They are given by exp = \sum_ns_nt^n/n!...
.
Mott was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1936. Mott served as president of the Physical Society
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
in 1957. In the early 1960s he was chairman of the British Pugwash
Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is an international organization that brings together scholars and public figures to work toward reducing the danger of armed conflict and to seek solutions to global security threats...
group. He was knighted in 1962.http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=42552&geotype=London&gpn=2&type=ArchivedIssuePage&all=&exact=Mott&atleast=&similar= He continued to work until he was about ninety. He was made a Companion of Honour in 1995.
Personal life
Mott was married to Ruth Eleanor Horder, and had two daughters, Elizabeth and Alice. He died in Milton KeynesMilton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
External links
- Delightful BBC video of 1985 interview with Nevill Mott (accessed Oct 8, 2010)
- Nobel lecture (PDF)
- Sir Nevill Francis Mott
- Mott's memories University of Bristol (accessed Jan 2006)
- National Cataloguing Unit for the Archives of Contemporary Scientists Bath University