Peter Hirsch
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter Bernhard Hirsch FRS (born 16 January 1925) is a leading figure in British materials science
who has made fundamental contributions to the application of transmission electron microscopy
to metals.
He attended the Sloane School, Chelsea and St Catharine's College
, Cambridge
. In 1946 joined the Crystallography
Department of the Cavendish
to work for a PhD on work hardening in metals under Lawrence Bragg
. He subsequently carried out important work, which is still cited, on the structure of coal
.
In the mid 1950s he pioneered the application of transmission electron microscopy
(TEM) to metals, and developed in detail the theory needed to interpret such images. In 1965, with Howie
, Whelan
, Pashley and Nicholson, he published the seminal text Electron microscopy of thin crystals.
The following year he moved to Oxford to take up the Isaac Wolfson
Chair in Metallurgy, succeeding William Hume-Rothery
. He held this post until his retirement in 1992, building up the Department of Metallurgy (now the Department of Materials) into a world-renowned centre.
Among many other honours, he was awarded the 1983 Wolf Foundation Prize in physics. He was elected to the Royal Society
in 1963, and knighted in 1975. He is a fellow of St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
Materials science
Materials science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This scientific field investigates the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. It incorporates...
who has made fundamental contributions to the application of transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy is a microscopy technique whereby a beam of electrons is transmitted through an ultra thin specimen, interacting with the specimen as it passes through...
to metals.
He attended the Sloane School, Chelsea and St Catharine's College
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. In 1946 joined the Crystallography
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
Department of the Cavendish
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
to work for a PhD on work hardening in metals under Lawrence Bragg
William Lawrence Bragg
Sir William Lawrence Bragg CH OBE MC FRS was an Australian-born British physicist and X-ray crystallographer, discoverer of the Bragg law of X-ray diffraction, which is basic for the determination of crystal structure. He was joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915. He was knighted...
. He subsequently carried out important work, which is still cited, on the structure of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
.
In the mid 1950s he pioneered the application of transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy is a microscopy technique whereby a beam of electrons is transmitted through an ultra thin specimen, interacting with the specimen as it passes through...
(TEM) to metals, and developed in detail the theory needed to interpret such images. In 1965, with Howie
Archibald Howie
Archibald "Archie" Howie FRS is a British physicist, known for his pioneering work on the interpretation of transmission electron microscope images of crystals. Born in 1934, he attended Kirkcaldy High School and the University of Edinburgh. He received his PhD from the University of Cambridge,...
, Whelan
M.J. Whelan
Michael J. Whelan FRS is a British scientist. He and Archibald Howie won the 1988 Hughes Medal of the Royal Society "for their contributions to the theory of electron diffraction and microscopy, and its application to the study of lattice defects in crystals"...
, Pashley and Nicholson, he published the seminal text Electron microscopy of thin crystals.
The following year he moved to Oxford to take up the Isaac Wolfson
Isaac Wolfson
Sir Isaac Wolfson, 1st Baronet FRS was a businessman and philanthropist. He was managing director of Great Universal Stores 1932-1947 and chairman 1947-1987. He established the Wolfson Foundation to distribute most of his fortune to good causes. Great Universal Stores was a mail order business...
Chair in Metallurgy, succeeding William Hume-Rothery
William Hume-Rothery
William Hume-Rothery OBE was a British metallurgist who studied the constitution of alloys.- Career :Hume-Rothery was born the son of lawyer Joseph Hume-Rothery in Worcester Park, Surrey but spent his youth in Cheltenham and was educated at Cheltenham College. In 1917 he was made totally deaf by a...
. He held this post until his retirement in 1992, building up the Department of Metallurgy (now the Department of Materials) into a world-renowned centre.
Among many other honours, he was awarded the 1983 Wolf Foundation Prize in physics. He was elected to the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1963, and knighted in 1975. He is a fellow of St Edmund Hall, Oxford.