Frederik Zernike (Amsterdam, July 16, 1888 – March 10, 1966) was a Dutch physicist and winner of the Nobel prize for physics in 1953 for his invention of the phase contrast microscope, an instrument that permits the study of internal cell structure without the need to stain and thus kill the cells.

Among other contributions, he worked on Zernike polynomials, a mathematical technique since used in advanced optic systems for overcoming aberration.

Zernike was the son of Carl Frederick August Zernike and Antje Dieperink, both of whom were teachers of mathematics; Zernike shared his passion for physics with his father. He studied chemistry (his major), mathematics and physics at the University of Amsterdam. In 1912 he was awarded a price for his work on opalescence in gases. In 1913 he became assistant to Jacobus Cornelius Kapteyn at the astronomical laboratory of Groningen University. In 1914, he was responsable jointly with Örnstein for the derivation of the Örnstein-Zernike relation in critical-point theory. In 1915, he obtained a position in theoretical physics at the same university and in 1920 he was promoted to full professor of theoretical physics. In 1930, he was conducting research into spectral lines and discovered that the so-called ghost lines that occur to the left and right of each primary line in spectra created by means of a diffraction grating, have their phase shifted from that of the primary line by 90 degrees. It was at a Physical and Medical Congress in Wageningen in 1933 that Zernike first described his phase contrast technique in microscopy. He extended his method to test the figure of concave mirrors. His discovery lay at the base of the first phase contrast microscope, built during World War II.

The university complex to the north of the city of Groningen is named after him (Zernike park), as is Zernike crater on the moon.

External links

• H. Brinkman, Zernike, Frits (1888-1966), in Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland.
• Frits (Frederik) Zernike Photo
• Frits (Frederik) Zernike Biography

1888 births | 1966 deaths | Dutch physicists | Dutch scientists | Nobel Prize in Physics winners

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