Kai Siegbahn
Swedish physicist (1918–2007)
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Kai Manne Börje Siegbahn (20 April 1918 – 20 July 2007) was a Swedish physicist who shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics.
20 April 1918
- Uppsala University (grad. 1942)
- Stockholm University (grad. 1944)
Kai Siegbahn | |
|---|---|
Siegbahn in 1981 | |
| Born | Kai Manne Börje Siegbahn 20 April 1918 Lund, Sweden |
| Died | 20 July 2007 (aged 89) Ängelholm, Sweden |
| Education |
|
| Known for | X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy |
| Spouse |
Anna Brita Rhedin (m. 1944) |
| Children | 3 |
| Father | Manne Siegbahn |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Workplaces | |
Biography
Kai Manne Börje Siegbahn was born on 20 April 1918 in Lund, Sweden, the son of physicist Manne Siegbahn and Karin Högbom. From 1936 to 1942, Siegbahn studied physics, mathematics, and chemistry at Uppsala University.[1] He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Stockholm University in 1944. Siegbahn was a professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm from 1951 to 1954. He joined Uppsala University in 1954, where he remained until his retirement in 1984.[2] He was also President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics from 1981 to 1984.
In 1981, Siegbahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Nicolaas Bloembergen and Arthur Schawlow. Siegbahn received half of the Prize "for his contribution to the development of high-resolution electron spectroscopy."[3] He referred to his technique as Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA); it is now usually known as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In 1967, he published a book, ESCA; atomic, molecular and solid state structure studied by means of electron spectroscopy.[4]
Siegbahn married Anna Brita Rhedin in 1944. The couple had three sons: Per (born 1945), Hans (born 1947), and Nils (born 1953).[1][5]
Siegbahn died on 20 July 2007 at the age of 89.[6] At the time of his death, he was still active as a scientist in the Ångström Laboratory at Uppsala University.[5]
Recognition
Awards
| Year | Organization | Award | Citation | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 |  Uppsala University |
Björkén Prize[a] | — | [7] |
| 1977 | Uppsala University |
Björkén Prize | — | [7] |
| 1981 | Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences |
Nobel Prize in Physics[b] | "For his contribution to the development of high-resolution electron spectroscopy." | [3] |
Honorary degrees
| Year | University | Degree | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 |  Durham University |
Doctor of Science | [8] |
Memberships
| Year | Organization | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 |  American Academy of Arts and Sciences |
International Honorary Member | [9] |
| 1983 | National Academy of Sciences |
International Member | [10] |
| 1985 |  Pontifical Academy of Sciences |
Academician | [11] |
| 1989 | Academia Europaea | Member | [12] |
Notes
- Shared with Hilding Köhler.
- Shared with Nicolaas Bloembergen and Arthur Schawlow.
