The Biography of Max von LaueThe Biography of Max von Laue

By Nicole ChristensenBy Nicole Christensen

The BeginningThe Beginning• born on October 9, born on October 9,

1879 at Pfaffendorf, 1879 at Pfaffendorf, GermanyGermany

• Traveled around Traveled around Germany with his dadGermany with his dad

• Went to a school in Went to a school in Strassburg Strassburg

• Learned the exact Learned the exact sciences from sciences from Professor Goering Professor Goering therethere

SchoolingSchooling• Left school in 1898 for Left school in 1898 for

military servicemilitary service• University of University of

Strassburg for Strassburg for mathematics, physics, mathematics, physics, chemistrychemistry

• University of University of Göttingen laterGöttingen later

• Professors W. Voigt Professors W. Voigt and W. Abraham and W. Abraham influenced himinfluenced him

University of Berlin

More SchoolingMore Schooling

• University of Munich for a semesterUniversity of Munich for a semester

• Attended lectures of interference Attended lectures of interference spectroscopy and heat radiationspectroscopy and heat radiation

• Obtained doctorate in Berlin, 1903Obtained doctorate in Berlin, 1903

• lectured optics, thermodynamics, lectured optics, thermodynamics, theory of relativity, 1909 at Munichtheory of relativity, 1909 at Munich

Moving UpMoving Up

• post of assistant to at Institute for post of assistant to at Institute for Theoretical Physics, Berlin Theoretical Physics, Berlin

• worked on application of entropy to worked on application of entropy to radiation fields radiation fields

• Also the thermodynamic significance of Also the thermodynamic significance of the coherence of light waves.the coherence of light waves.

East Germany Stamp, 1979

Moving Up continuedMoving Up continued

• Professor of Physics at FrankfurtProfessor of Physics at Frankfurt

• Second Director at Second Director at Berlin-DahlemBerlin-Dahlem

• The director of the Institute was The director of the Institute was EinsteinEinstein

Books and PapersBooks and Papers

• History of Physics, 1944-1945History of Physics, 1944-1945

• paper on low absorption of X-rays paper on low absorption of X-rays during diffraction, 1948during diffraction, 1948

• Eight papers on theory of relativity Eight papers on theory of relativity

• Later published book on the restricted Later published book on the restricted theorytheory

More Books and PapersMore Books and Papers

• Paper on F. and H. London's theory of Paper on F. and H. London's theory of superconductivity superconductivity

• 1937-1947 12 books on this subject1937-1947 12 books on this subject

Laue and Einstein Laue and Einstein

• Einstein was Director at Institute for Einstein was Director at Institute for Physics, BerlinPhysics, Berlin

• Laue was Second DirectorLaue was Second Director

• Influenced scientific researchInfluenced scientific research

Awards and DiscoveriesAwards and Discoveries

• discovery of the diffraction of X-rays on discovery of the diffraction of X-rays on crystalscrystals

• Other physicists argued his discoveryOther physicists argued his discovery

• Assistants experimented, published in Assistants experimented, published in 1912 1912

• Established x-rays are electromagnetic Established x-rays are electromagnetic in nature in nature

More Awards and DiscoveriesMore Awards and Discoveries

• Won Nobel Prize for Physics in 1914Won Nobel Prize for Physics in 1914

• Bimala-Churn-Law Gold Medal of the Bimala-Churn-Law Gold Medal of the Indian Association, CalcuttaIndian Association, Calcutta

• Honorary President of International Honorary President of International Union of Crystallographers, 1948 Union of Crystallographers, 1948

• Honorary Doctorates-Bonn, Stuttgart, Honorary Doctorates-Bonn, Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin, Manchester, Chicago Munich, Berlin, Manchester, Chicago

The Last YearsThe Last Years

• Retired in 1958Retired in 1958

• Worked for another six monthsWorked for another six months

• Died from a car accident in 1960Died from a car accident in 1960

BibliographyBibliography

• "Max von Laue." "Max von Laue." Nobelprize.comNobelprize.com. 1967. Copyright © The . 1967. Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 1914, Web. 19 Feb 2010. Nobel Foundation 1914, Web. 19 Feb 2010. <http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1<http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1914/laue-914/laue-bio.html>. bio.html>.

• LastReinhardt, FirstJoachim. "Max von Laue." LastReinhardt, FirstJoachim. "Max von Laue." A Picture A Picture Gallery of Gallery of Famous PhysicistsFamous Physicists. 12 Nov 2001. Web. 22 . 12 Nov 2001. Web. 22 Feb 2010. Feb 2010. <http://phys.bspu.unibel.by/hist/physport/physlist.html>.<http://phys.bspu.unibel.by/hist/physport/physlist.html>.