Einstein, Condensed Matter Physics, Nanoscience & Superconductivity - 2011 Dickson Prize Lecture

[@feynmanschwingere_mc2270]

Einstein is well known for his rejection of quantum mechanics in the form it emerged from the work of Heisenberg, Born and Schrodinger in 1926. Much less appreciated are the many seminal contributions he made to quantum theory prior to his final scientific verdict: that the theory was at best incomplete. Einstein, much more than Planck, introduced the concept of quantization of energy in atomic mechanics. Einstein proposed the photon, the first force-carrying particle discovered for a fundamental interaction, and put forward the notion of wave-particle duality, based on sound statistical arguments 14 years before De Broglie’s work. He was the first to recognize the intrinsic randomness in atomic processes, and introduced the notion of transition probabilities, embodied in the A and B coefficients for atomic emission and absorption. He also preceded Born in suggesting the interpretation of wave fields as probability densities for particles, photons, in the case of the electromagnetic field. Finally, stimulated by Bose, he introduced the notion of indistinguishable particles in the quantum sense and derived the condensed phase of bosons, which is one of the fundamental states of matter at low temperatures. His work on quantum statistics in turn directly stimulated Schrodinger towards his discovery of the wave equation of quantum mechanics. It was only due to his rejection of the final theory that he is not generally recognized as the most central figure in this historic achievement of human civilization. The Boson should have been named after him given that it was him, and not Bose, that created the theory (in condensed matter physics) that led to it's discovery. Einstein is usually revered as the father of special and general relativity (which he is). But he is also the father of Solid State Physics, as well as the broader version known as Condensed Matter Physics (including liquids). His 1907 article on the specific heat of solids introduces, for the first time, the effect of lattice vibrations on the thermodynamic properties of crystals, in particular the specific heat. His 1905 article on the photoelectric effect and photoluminescence opened the fields of photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Other important achievements include the aforementioned Bose-Einstein condensation and the Einstein relation between the diffusion coefficient an mobility. It was Einstein that was the first to quantize the radiation field and the first to correctly derive phonons. Between 1902 and 1920, 20 years, Albert Einstein was the only significant physicist of any repute in Europe who believed energy was quantized - it took Bohr many years to believe in quantized energy. He rederived the entire foundations of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics from first principles (something only JW Gibbs could match), he solved the centuries old Tea Leaf Paradox on a whim, he essentially launched Quantum Information Theory with the first paper on the subject now known as the "EPR Paradox" paper. Einstein, with contributions from Otto Stern, was the first to derive the correct value for zero-point energy (also known as zero-point motion), 10 years BEFORE Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle (which, if you understand physics, is a truly remarkable feat). And I haven't even address his many, many other contributions to science (e.g. physical chemistry, Gyroscopes, telemetry etc). Einstein is the greatest scientist of all time. Absolutely monstrous intellect.

[@Dyslexic-Artist-Theory-on-Time]

Nice vid! This is an invitation to see an artist theory on the physics of light and time! This theory is based on two postulates 1. Is that the quantum wave particle function Ψ represents the forward passage of time ∆E ∆t ≥ h/2π itself 2. Is that Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle ∆×∆p×≥h/4π that is formed by the w- function is the same uncertainty we have with any future event that we can interact with turning the possible into the actual!

[@feynmanschwingere_mc2270]

Einstein predicted zero-point energy 10 years BEFORE Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle ; )

[@Davsan1]

What