Herbert Walther
Encyclopedia
Prof. Dr. Dr. Herbert Walther was an internationally acclaimed leader in the fields of quantum optics
and laser physics
. He was born in Ludwigshafen/Rhein in 1935 and died near Munich
in 2006. He was a founding director of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
(MPQ) in Garching, Germany
. He also was Chair of Physics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He is primarily known for his experimental work on cavity quantum electrodynamics
(in the form of the micromaser) as well his groundbreaking work on the ion trap
. At the time of his death he had over 600 publications and numerous awards from a number of prestigious physics and optics societies. One of them is the Albert A. Michelson Medal from the Franklin Institute
in Philadelphia (1993).
Quantum optics
Quantum optics is a field of research in physics, dealing with the application of quantum mechanics to phenomena involving light and its interactions with matter.- History of quantum optics :...
and laser physics
Laser Physics
Laser Physics is an international scientific journal published by Nauka/Interperiodica. It is distributed through the Springer.-Topics covered:The journal specializes in laser physics, but also publishes papers about:...
. He was born in Ludwigshafen/Rhein in 1935 and died near Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in 2006. He was a founding director of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
The Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics is a part of the Max Planck Society which operates 80 research facilities in Germany.The institute is located in Garching, Germany, which in turn is located 10 km north-east of Munich...
(MPQ) in Garching, 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 also was Chair of Physics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He is primarily known for his experimental work on cavity quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics is the relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics. In essence, it describes how light and matter interact and is the first theory where full agreement between quantum mechanics and special relativity is achieved...
(in the form of the micromaser) as well his groundbreaking work on the 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...
. At the time of his death he had over 600 publications and numerous awards from a number of prestigious physics and optics societies. One of them is the Albert A. Michelson Medal from the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
in Philadelphia (1993).