Sin-Itiro Tomonaga
Facts
Photo from the Nobel Foundation archive.
Sin-Itiro Tomonaga
The Nobel Prize in Physics 1965
Born: 31 March 1906, Kyoto, Japan
Died: 8 July 1979, Tokyo, Japan
Affiliation at the time of the award: Tokyo University of Education, Tokyo, Japan
Prize motivation: “for their fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics, with deep-ploughing consequences for the physics of elementary particles”
Prize share: 1/3
Work
Following the establishment of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, an initial relativistic theory was formulated for the interaction between charged particles and electromagnetic fields. The theory had to be reformulated, however, partly due to the observation of the Lamb shift in 1947, in which the supposed single energy level within a hydrogen atom was instead proven to be two similar levels. Sin-Itiro Tomonga solved this problem in 1948 through a “renormalization” and thereby contributed to a new quantum electrodynamics.
Nobel Prizes and laureates
Six prizes were awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. The 12 laureates' work and discoveries range from proteins' structures and machine learning to fighting for a world free of nuclear weapons.
See them all presented here.
