Max Von Laue
1879-1960
German Physicist
Max von Laue is best known for his work with the diffraction of x rays by crystalline solids, including the determination of the molecular structures of crystalline materials. He received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1914 in recognition of his work in this field.
A precocious youngster, Laue became interested in science at the age of 12. He studied at the Universities of Strassburg, Göttingen, Munich, and Berlin, where he worked with Max Planck (1859-1947) and received his doctorate. Subsequently, Laue worked at Göttingen, Berlin, andMunich. In 1909 he wrote the first published monograph on the special theory of relativity.
Max von Laue. (Library of Congress. Reproduced with permission.)X rays were discovered in 1895 by W. C. Roentgen (1845-1923). Some scientists regarded them as particles or pulses, while others considered them to be electromagnetic radiation like light. In 1912 Laue proposed a way to resolve the disagreement. When a beam of light, whose wavelength is similar to the spacing of the parallel slits in a grating, passes through these slits, the beam is diffracted, and the light is observed to travel in various directions, not just in the direction of the impinging radiation. This phenomenon is the result of constructive interference of the beams of light exiting the various slits. It was accepted that the atoms making up a crystal are arranged in an orderly geometric fashion, with each atom located at exactly the same distance from its neighbors. This spacing is similar in magnitude to the supposed wavelength of x rays. Laue proposed that if a beam of x rays is indeed made up of radiation waves, in analogy with light shining through a grating, a beam of x rays passing through a crystal should be diffracted.
In 1912 Walter Friedrich (1883-1968) and Paul Knipping, under Laue's direction, confirmed this postulate, demonstrating that a beam of x rays, passing through a crystal, is diffracted in very precise directions. This proved that xrays are a form of electromagnetic radiation. Laue further established that the pattern of the diffracted beams is a property of the individual crystal and is related to the spacing of the atoms in the crystal. Thus, the pattern of the diffracted x rays could be used to determine the crystal's internal structure.
Laue was awarded the 1914 Nobel Prize for Physics in recognition of these discoveries. His basic approach has been developed over the years to provide methods for the determination of hundreds of molecular structures, ranging from simple diatomic molecules to proteins. These methods based on Laue's discovery have provided molecular information that could not have been obtained otherwise and have dramatically facilitated the development of molecular biology and chemistry. Laue is regarded as the founder of crystallography and as one of the founders of solid-state physics.
Laue also did research in quantum theory, relativity theory, radioactivity, and superconductivity. In 1919 he became the director of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Berlin. He remained with the Institute throughout the Second World War. Although he remained in Germany during the war, he did not support the Nazi regime and assisted others to escape. After the war, he was instrumental in rebuilding the German scientific enterprise in cooperation with the occupation forces. In 1951, at the age of 71, he accepted the position of director of the Max Planck Institute for Research in Physical Chemistry.
Laue enjoyed adventure throughout his life. He was an avid motorcycle rider and mountain climber. He died in an automobile accident at the age of 81. His autobiography, published posthumously in 1961, contains numerous personal anecdotes, including his experiences during the war years, and adds a humanizing touch to the German scientific community during the first half of the twentieth century.
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