Wolf Prize in Physics

Check all the winners of Wolf Prize in Physics.
Year Winner Winner Work
2013 Peter Zoller For groundbreaking theoretical contributions to quantum information processing, quantum optics and the physics of quantum gases.
Juan Ignacio Cirac Sasturain For groundbreaking theoretical contributions to quantum information processing, quantum optics and the physics of quantum gases.
2012 Jacob Bekenstein For his work on astronomical super-massive objects called \u201Cblack holes\u201D that showed they can possess a statistical-thermodynamic property called entropy even though the internal dynamics could not be known. This work created an entire field of black hole dynamics which has become a cornerstone in the important theoretical physics areas of quantum gravity and strings.
2011 Maximilian Haider For their development of aberration-corrected electron microscopy, allowing the observation of individual atoms with picometer precision, thus revolutionizing materials science.
Harald Rose For their development of aberration-corrected electron microscopy, allowing the observation of individual atoms with picometer precision, thus revolutionizing materials science.
Knut Urban For their development of aberration-corrected electron microscopy, allowing the observation of individual atoms with picometer precision, thus revolutionizing materials science.
2010 John Clauser For their fundamental conceptual and experimental contributions to the foundations of quantum physics, specifically an increasingly sophisticated series of tests of Bell\u2019s inequalities or extensions there of using entangled quantum states.
Alain Aspect For their fundamental conceptual and experimental contributions to the foundations of quantum physics, specifically an increasingly sophisticated series of tests of Bell\u2019s inequalities or extensions there of using entangled quantum states.
Anton Zeilinger For their fundamental conceptual and experimental contributions to the foundations of quantum physics, specifically an increasingly sophisticated series of tests of Bell\u2019s inequalities or extensions there of using entangled quantum states.
2009
2008
2007
2006 Albert Fert For their independent discovery of the giant magnetoresistance phenomenon (GMR), thereby launching a new field of research and applications known as spintronics, which utilizes the spin of the electron to store and transport information.
Peter Grünberg For their independent discovery of the giant magnetoresistance phenomenon (GMR), thereby launching a new field of research and applications known as spintronics, which utilizes the spin of the electron to store and transport information.
2005 Daniel Kleppner For groundbreaking work in atomic physics of hydrogenic systems, including research on the hydrogen maser, Rydberg atoms and Bose-Einstein condensation.
2004 Robert Brout For pioneering work that has led to the insight of mass generation, whenever a local gauge symmetry is realized asymmetrically in the world of sub-atomic particles.
François Englert For pioneering work that has led to the insight of mass generation, whenever a local gauge symmetry is realized asymmetrically in the world of sub-atomic particles.
Peter Higgs For pioneering work that has led to the insight of mass generation, whenever a local gauge symmetry is realized asymmetrically in the world of sub-atomic particles.
2003 Bertrand Halperin For key insights into the broad range of condensed matter physics: Leggett on superfluidity of the light helium isotope and macroscopic quantum phenomena; and Halperin on two- dimensional melting, disordered systems and strongly interacting electrons.
Anthony James Leggett For key insights into the broad range of condensed matter physics: Leggett on superfluidity of the light helium isotope and macroscopic quantum phenomena; and Halperin on two- dimensional melting, disordered systems and strongly interacting electrons.
2002
2001
2000 Raymond Davis, Jr. For their pioneering observations of astronomical phenomena by detection of neutrinos, thus creating the emerging field of neutrino astronomy.
Masatoshi Koshiba For their pioneering observations of astronomical phenomena by detection of neutrinos, thus creating the emerging field of neutrino astronomy.
1999 Dan Shechtman For the experimental discovery of quasi-crystals, non-periodic solids having long-range order, which inspired the exploration of a new fundamental state of matter.
1998 Yakir Aharonov For the discovery of quantum topological and geometrical phases, specifically the Aharonov-Bohm effect, the Berry phase, and their incorporation into many fields of physics.
Michael Berry For the discovery of quantum topological and geometrical phases, specifically the Aharonov-Bohm effect, the Berry phase, and their incorporation into many fields of physics.
1997 John Archibald Wheeler For his seminal contributions to black holes physics, to quantum gravity, and to the theories of nuclear scattering and nuclear fission.
1996
1995 Vitaly Ginzburg For his contributions to the theory of superconductivity and to the theory of high-energy processes in astrophysics.
1995 Yoichiro Nambu For his contribution to elementary particle theory, including recognition of the role played by spontaneous symmetry-breaking in analogy with superconductivity theory, and the discovery of the color symmetry of the strong interactions.
1995
1994
1993 Benoit Mandelbrot By recognizing the widespread occurrence of fractals and developing mathematical tools for describing them, he has changed our view of nature.
1992 Joseph Hooton Taylor, Jr. For his discovery of an orbiting radio pulsar and its exploitation to verify the general theory of relativity to high precision.
1991 Maurice Goldhaber For their separate seminal contributions to nuclear and particle physics, particularly those concerning the weak interactions involving leptons.
Valentine Telegdi For their separate seminal contributions to nuclear and particle physics, particularly those concerning the weak interactions involving leptons.
1990 Pierre-Gilles de Gennes For a wide variety of pioneering contributions to our understanding of the organization of complex condensed matter systems, de Gennes especially for his work on macromolecular matter and liquid crystals and Thouless for his on disordered and low-dimensional systems.
David J. Thouless For a wide variety of pioneering contributions to our understanding of the organization of complex condensed matter systems, de Gennes especially for his work on macromolecular matter and liquid crystals and Thouless for his on disordered and low-dimensional systems.
1989
1988 Roger Penrose For their brilliant development of the theory of general relativity, in which they have shown the necessity for cosmological singularities and have elucidated the physics of black holes. In this work they have greatly enlarged our understanding of the origin and possible fate of the Universe.
Stephen Hawking For their brilliant development of the theory of general relativity, in which they have shown the necessity for cosmological singularities and have elucidated the physics of black holes. In this work they have greatly enlarged our understanding of the origin and possible fate of the Universe.
1987 Herbert Friedman for pioneering investigations in solar X-rays.
1987 Bruno Rossi for the discovery of extra-solar X-ray sources and the elucidation of their physical processes.
Riccardo Giacconi for the discovery of extra-solar X-ray sources and the elucidation of their physical processes.
1986 Mitchell Feigenbaum for his pioneering theoretical studies demonstrating the universal character of non-linear systems, which has made possible the systematic study of chaos.
1986 Albert J. Libchaber for his brilliant experimental demonstration of the transition to turbulence and chaos in dynamical systems.
1985 Conyers Herring for their major contributions to the fundamental theory of solids, especially of the behaviour of electrons in metals.
Philippe Nozières for their major contributions to the fundamental theory of solids, especially of the behaviour of electrons in metals.
1983 Erwin Hahn for his discovery of nuclear spin echoes and for the phenomenon of self-induced transparency.
1983 Peter Hirsch for his development of the utilization of the transmission electron microscope as a universal instrument to study the structure of crystalline matter.
1983 Theodore Maiman for his realization of the first operating laser, the pulsed three level ruby laser.
1982 Leon M. Lederman For their experimental discovery of unexpected new particles establishing a third generation of quarks and leptons.
Martin Lewis Perl For their experimental discovery of unexpected new particles establishing a third generation of quarks and leptons.
1981 Freeman Dyson for their outstanding contributions to theoretical physics, especially in the development and application of the quantum theory of fields.
Victor Frederick Weisskopf for their outstanding contributions to theoretical physics, especially in the development and application of the quantum theory of fields.
Gerard 't Hooft for their outstanding contributions to theoretical physics, especially in the development and application of the quantum theory of fields.
1980 Michael Fisher for pathbreaking developments culminating in the general theory of the critical behavior at transitions between the different thermodynamic phases of matter.
Leo Kadanoff for pathbreaking developments culminating in the general theory of the critical behavior at transitions between the different thermodynamic phases of matter.
Kenneth G. Wilson for pathbreaking developments culminating in the general theory of the critical behavior at transitions between the different thermodynamic phases of matter.
1979 George Uhlenbeck for his discovery, jointly with the late S.A. Goudsmit, of the electron spin.
1979 Giuseppe Occhialini for his contributions to the discoveries of electron pair production and of the charged pion.
1978 Chien-Shiung Wu for her explorations of the weak interaction, helping establish the precise form and the non-conservation of parity for this natural force.