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Nobel Prize for German, French Physicists for Technology Used in Hard Drives
Germany’s Peter Grünberg of the Research Centre Jülich and Albert Fert of France have been awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of Giant Magnetoresistance,” or the GMR effect, the technology that is used to read data on hard drives. Professor Grünberg and Fert, professor of physics at Université Paris-Sud, working independently from one another, both discovered the GMR effect in 1988. The GMR effect is used in almost every hard drive—in laptops and MP3 players, for example—produced today. Giant Magnetoresistance is a quantum effect, which appears in layered structures of magnetic materials. “It is thanks to this technology that it has been possible to miniaturize hard disks so radically in recent years,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a press release. Because it requires the use of structures with layers that are only a few atoms thick, the academy called GMR one of the first real applications from the field of nanotechnology. In congratulating Grünberg, Chancellor Angela Merkel pointed out that basic research leads to really applications used on a daily basis. “This proves that good promotion of basic research is the foundation, the basis for being able to have internationally outstanding researchers among us,” Merkel said. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also sent congratulations to both Grünberg and Fert. Steinmeier particularly thanked Grünberg for his work in making Germany an international center for scientific research. "His numerous research trips to North America and his cooperation with foreign researchers in Germany have contributed towards mutual understanding and exchange, going well beyond the scientific field." The Research Centre Jülich holds the "Grünberg patent" of the GMR effect. Jülich is part of the Helmholtz-Association, Germany’s largest scientific research organization, which is funded primarily by the federal and state governments. Helmholtz-Association President Jürgen Mlynek noted that Grünberg “quickly understood what a great benefit his discovery could be to the economy and ensured that it was speedily transformed into a market-dominating innovation.” Peter Grünberg was born 1939 in Pilsen (now Czech Republic). Following his studies and doctorate in Darmstadt and a three-year research stay in Canada, the scientist has been at the Research Centre Jülich since 1972. Grünberg and Fert learned that they had both made the same discovery at international physics conferences where they gave presentations. Grünberg has already received several internationally renowned prizes for his work: in 1998 he was awarded the "Zukunftspreis" (Future Prize) from the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, and in 2006 he was honored as "European Inventor of the Year." Earlier this year, Grünberg received the Stern Gerlach Medal, the Israeli Wolf Foundation Prize and also the Japan Prize, shared with Fert, in the category "Innovation through Basic Research," worth 300,000 euros. Sources: Bundesregierung.de, Helmholtz.de, Nobelprize.org October 9, 2007 Links
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