Wolfgang Paul
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Paul was a German
physicist
, who co-developed the non-magnetic quadrupole mass filter which laid the foundation for what we now call an ion trap
. He shared one-half of the Nobel Prize in Physics
in 1989 for this work with Hans Georg Dehmelt
; the other half of the Prize in that year was awarded to Norman Foster Ramsey.
Wolfgang Paul was born on 10 August 1913 in Lorenzkirch, Germany
. He grew up in Munich where his father was professor for pharmaceutic chemistry. After the first few years at the Technical University of Munich
he changed to the Technical University of Berlin
in 1934 where he finished his Diploma in 1937 at the group of Hans Geiger. He followed his doctorate advisor Hans Kopfermann
to the University of Kiel
and after being drafted to the airforce he finished his PhD in 1940 at the Technical University of Berlin
. For several years he was private lecturer at the University of Göttingen with Hans Kopfermann. He became professor for Experimental Physics
at the University of Bonn
and stayed there from 1952 till 1993. For two years from 1965 until 1967 he was director of the Division of Nuclear Physics
at CERN
.
In 1957, Paul was a signatory of the Göttingen Manifesto
, a declaration of 18 leading nuclear scientists of West Germany against arming the West German army with tactical nuclear weapons.
During World War II
, he researched isotope separation
, which is necessary to produce fissionable material for use in making nuclear weapon
s.
His son Stephan Paul is a professor of experimental physics at the Technical University of Munich
. His son Lorenz Paul is a professor of physics at the University of Wuppertal
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, who co-developed the non-magnetic quadrupole mass filter which laid the foundation for what we now call an ion trap
Ion trap
An ion trap is a combination of electric or magnetic fields that captures ions in a region of a vacuum system or tube. Ion traps have a number of scientific uses such as mass spectrometery and trapping ions while the ion's quantum state is manipulated...
. He shared one-half of the Nobel Prize in Physics
Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
in 1989 for this work with Hans Georg Dehmelt
Hans Georg Dehmelt
Hans Georg Dehmelt is a German-born American physicist, who co-developed the ion trap technique with Wolfgang Paul, for which they shared one-half of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1989...
; the other half of the Prize in that year was awarded to Norman Foster Ramsey.
Wolfgang Paul was born on 10 August 1913 in Lorenzkirch, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He grew up in Munich where his father was professor for pharmaceutic chemistry. After the first few years at the Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
he changed to the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
in 1934 where he finished his Diploma in 1937 at the group of Hans Geiger. He followed his doctorate advisor Hans Kopfermann
Hans Kopfermann
Hans Kopfermann was a German atomic and nuclear physicist. He devoted his entire career to spectroscopic investigations, and he did pioneering work in measuring nuclear spin...
to the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
and after being drafted to the airforce he finished his PhD in 1940 at the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
. For several years he was private lecturer at the University of Göttingen with Hans Kopfermann. He became professor for Experimental Physics
Experimental physics
Within the field of physics, experimental physics is the category of disciplines and sub-disciplines concerned with the observation of physical phenomena in order to gather data about the universe...
at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
and stayed there from 1952 till 1993. For two years from 1965 until 1967 he was director of the Division of Nuclear Physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
.
In 1957, Paul was a signatory of the Göttingen Manifesto
Göttinger Manifest
The Göttingen Manifesto was a declaration of 18 leading nuclear scientists of West Germany against arming the West German army with tactical nuclear weapons in the 1950s, the early part of the Cold War, as the West German government under chancellor Adenauer had suggested.-Historical situation:In...
, a declaration of 18 leading nuclear scientists of West Germany against arming the West German army with tactical nuclear weapons.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he researched isotope separation
Isotope separation
Isotope separation is the process of concentrating specific isotopes of a chemical element by removing other isotopes, for example separating natural uranium into enriched uranium and depleted uranium. This is a crucial process in the manufacture of uranium fuel for nuclear power stations, and is...
, which is necessary to produce fissionable material for use in making nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s.
His son Stephan Paul is a professor of experimental physics at the Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
. His son Lorenz Paul is a professor of physics at the University of Wuppertal
University of Wuppertal
The University of Wuppertal is a German scientific institution, located in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia.The university, the full German name of which is Bergische Universität Wuppertal , was formed in 1972 and is located in the city of Wuppertal, within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia,...
.