6 lives in this collection worked in solid-state physics, from 1850 to today. Each has a full course on their life and the mathematics and physics they made.
Often together with: theoretical physics. All fields
German physicist who discovered rectification at crystal contacts, built the cathode-ray tube, introduced the coupled tuned transmitter and early phased arrays, and shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Marconi.
experimental physics, wireless telegraphy, solid-state physics
Theoretical physicist who extended Bohr's atom to elliptic and relativistic orbits, introduced the fine-structure constant, founded the quantum free-electron theory of metals, and trained the leading Munich school of theoretical physics.
theoretical physics, mathematical physics, atomic physics
Theoretical physicist who co-founded matrix mechanics, gave the wave function its statistical interpretation, and founded the dynamical theory of crystal lattices.
theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, solid-state physics
Dutch-American physicist and chemist who created the Debye model of specific heat, the theory of polar molecules, powder X-ray diffraction and the Debye–Hückel theory of electrolytes, and whose Berlin directorship under the Nazi regime remains disputed.
theoretical physics, physical chemistry, solid-state physics
Discoverer of Bragg's law of X-ray reflection, joint Nobel laureate with his father at 25, and founder of crystal-structure analysis from rock salt to proteins.
x-ray crystallography, solid-state physics, mineralogy
Theoretical physicist who explained the nuclear reactions that power the stars, computed the Lamb shift, led the theory division at Los Alamos and became a leading voice for arms control.
nuclear physics, astrophysics, quantum electrodynamics