Karl Alexander Müller Autograph

Profession:
(1927-) Swiss physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics (1987)

Year of Birth: 1927

Karl Alexander Müller is a Swiss physicist who was born on April 20, 1927, in Basel, Switzerland. He is best known for his pioneering work in the field of superconductivity, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1987, along with Johannes Georg Bednorz. Müller's contributions to the discovery and understanding of high-temperature superconductivity have had a profound impact on the field and opened up new possibilities for technological applications.

After completing his studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Müller joined the IBM Research Laboratory in Rüschlikon, Switzerland, in 1963. It was at IBM that Müller conducted the groundbreaking experiments that led to the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity. He and Bednorz identified a ceramic material, based on copper and oxygen compounds, that exhibited superconductivity at temperatures well above the previously known critical temperature.

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity by Müller and Bednorz sparked great excitement within the scientific community and opened up new avenues of research. It was previously believed that superconductivity could only occur at extremely low temperatures, close to absolute zero. The discovery of materials that exhibited superconductivity at higher temperatures challenged existing theories and prompted a reevaluation of the nature of superconductivity.

Müller's work on high-temperature superconductivity not only advanced our understanding of this phenomenon but also had significant implications for practical applications. Superconducting materials that operate at higher temperatures can be used in numerous fields, including power transmission, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, and particle accelerators. The discovery by Müller and Bednorz paved the way for the development of new technologies and revolutionized several industries.

Müller's groundbreaking research and pioneering contributions to the field of superconductivity have earned him numerous accolades and recognition. In addition to the Nobel Prize, he has been awarded several other prestigious honors, including the Swiss Science Prize Marcel Benoist and the Japan Prize. In recognition of his profound impact on the scientific community, Müller was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

Throughout his career, Müller has remained an active and influential figure in the scientific community. He has published numerous scientific papers and continues to contribute to the field of superconductivity through his research and collaborations. Müller's dedication to advancing knowledge and his groundbreaking discoveries have cemented his position as one of the most respected physicists of his generation.