Biography:Leo Esaki

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Leo Esaki
江崎 玲於奈
Esaki in 2020
Born (1925-03-12) March 12, 1925 (age 100)
Osaka, Empire of Japan
EducationThird Higher School
Alma materTokyo Imperial University (BS, PhD)
Employer
Known for
Awards
  • Nishina Memorial Prize (1959)
  • IRE Morris Liebmann Memorial Prize (1961)
  • Stuart Ballantine Medal (1961)
  • Nobel Prize in Physics (1973)
  • International Prize for New Materials (1985)
  • Harold Pender Award (1989)
  • IEEE Medal of Honor (1991)
  • Japan Prize (1998)

Leo Esaki[lower-alpha 1] (born March 12, 1925) is a Japanese solid-state physicist who shared the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physics with Ivar Giaever and Brian Josephson for his work on tunneling in semiconductors,[2] which led to his invention of the tunnel diode that exploits this phenomenon. His research was done when he was with Sony. He has also contributed in being a pioneer of semiconductor superlattices.

Education

Leo Esaki was born on March 12, 1925, in Osaka, Japan,[3] and grew up in Kyoto, where he attended the Third Higher School. He then went on to study physics at Tokyo Imperial University (now the University of Tokyo), graduating with a B.S. in 1947.[4]

Career and research

Sony

Esaki works at Sony, 1959.

In 1956, Esaki became chief physicist at Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (now Sony).[5]

In 1957, Esaki recognized that when the p–n junction width of germanium is thinned, the current–voltage characteristic is dominated by the influence of the tunnel effect. As a result, he discovered that as the voltage is increased, the current decreases inversely, indicating negative resistance.[6]

This discovery was the first demonstration of solid tunneling effects in physics—and it was the birth of the first quantum electronic device, the tunnel diode. He received a Ph.D. from Tokyo Imperial University due to this breakthrough invention in 1959.[4]

IBM

In 1960, Esaki moved to the United States and joined IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center,[7] where he was appointed an IBM Fellow in 1967.

In 1969, Esaki predicted that semiconductor superlattices will be formed to induce a differential negative-resistance effect via an artificially one-dimensional periodic structural changes in semiconductor crystals.[8] His unique "molecular-beam epitaxy" thin-film crystal growth method can be regulated quite precisely in ultrahigh vacuum. A 1987 comment by Esaki regarding the original paper notes:

"The original version of the paper was rejected for publication by Physical Review on the referee's unimaginative assertion that it was 'too speculative' and involved 'no new physics.' However, this proposal was quickly accepted by the Army Research Office..."[9]

In 1972, Esaki realized his concept of superlattices in III-V group semiconductors. Later, this concept influenced many fields like metals and magnetic materials.

Later life

In 1992, Esaki returned to Japan, where he subsequently served as President of the University of Tsukuba[4] and of the Shibaura Institute of Technology. Since 2006, he is President of Yokohama College of Pharmacy.

Since the death of Yoichiro Nambu in 2015, Esaki is currently the oldest Japanese Nobel laureate.

Family

Esaki's daughter, Anna Esaki, is married to Craig S. Smith, former Shanghai bureau chief of The New York Times and China bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal.[10]

Esaki's "five don'ts" rules

At the 1994 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, Esaki suggested a list of "five don'ts" which anyone in realizing his creative potential should follow. Two months later, the chairman of the Nobel Committee for Physics Carl Nordling incorporated the rules in his own speech.[11]

  1. Don't allow yourself to be trapped by your past experiences.
  2. Don't allow yourself to become overly attached to any one authority in your field – the great professor, perhaps.
  3. Don't hold on to what you don't need.
  4. Don't avoid confrontation.
  5. Don't forget your spirit of childhood curiosity.

Recognition

Awards

Year Organization Award Citation Ref.
1959 Japan Nishina Memorial Foundation Nishina Memorial Prize "Invention of the Esaki diode." [12]
1961 United States Institute of Radio Engineers IRE Morris Liebmann Memorial Prize "For important contributions to the theory and technology of solid state devices, particularly as embodied in the tunnel diode." [13]
1961 United States Franklin Institute Stuart Ballantine Medal "For the development of the tunnel diode and the discovery and utilization of quantum-mechanical tunneling in semiconductors." [14]
1973 Sweden Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Nobel Prize in Physics[lower-alpha 2] "For their experimental discoveries regarding tunneling phenomena in semiconductors and superconductors, respectively." [2]
1985 United States American Physical Society International Prize for New Materials[lower-alpha 3] "For his conception of artificial semiconductor superlattices and his recognition that such structures have realizable and would have novel electronic properties. His sustained experimental and theoretical efforts have helped lead the way to versatile new materials and technologies." [15]
1989 United States University of Pennsylvania Harold Pender Award "Pioneer in tunneling phenomena in semiconductors and development of quantum well structures." [16]
1991 United States IEEE IEEE Medal of Honor "For contributions to and leadership in tunneling, semiconductor superlattices, and quantum wells." [17]
1998 Japan Japan Prize Foundation Japan Prize "For the creation and realization of the concept of man-made superlattice crystals which lead to generation of new materials with useful applications." [4]

Memberships

Year Organization Type Ref.
1976 United States National Academy of Sciences International Member [18]
1977 United States National Academy of Engineering International Member [19]
1991 United States American Philosophical Society Member [20]

Honorary degrees

Year University Degree Ref.
2001 Hong Kong HKUST Doctor of Science [21]

Commemoration

In recognition of three Nobel laureates' contributions, the bronze statues of Shin'ichirō Tomonaga, Leo Esaki, and Makoto Kobayashi were set up in the Central Park of Azuma 2 in Tsukuba in 2015.[22]

See also

  • Resonant-tunneling diode
  • List of Japanese Nobel laureates
  • List of Nobel laureates affiliated with the University of Tokyo

Notes

  1. ↑ /ɪˈsɑːki/ ih-SAH-kee;[1] Japanese: 江崎 玲於奈, romanized: Esaki Reona
  2. ↑ Awarded jointly with Ivar Giaever and Brian Josephson.
  3. ↑ Awarded jointly with Leroy Chang and Raphael Tsu.

References

  1. ↑ "Esaki". Esaki. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/esaki. Retrieved 2025-06-07. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Nobel Prize in Physics 1973". Nobel Foundation. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1973/summary/. 
  3. ↑ "Leo Esaki – Facts". Nobel Foundation. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1973/esaki/facts/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Dr. Leo Esaki". Japan Prize Foundation. http://www.japanprize.jp/en/prize_prof_1998_esaki.html. 
  5. ↑ "Leo Esaki". Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leo-Esaki. Retrieved 2025-08-16. 
  6. ↑ Esaki, Leo (1958). "New Phenomenon in Narrow Germanium p-n Junctions". Physical Review 109 (2): 603–604. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.109.603. Bibcode: 1958PhRv..109..603E. https://journals.aps.org/pr/abstract/10.1103/PhysRev.109.603. 
  7. ↑ "Leo Esaki – Biographical". Nobel Foundation. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1973/esaki/biographical/. 
  8. ↑ Esaki, L.; Tsu, R. (1970). "Superlattice and Negative Differential Conductivity in Semiconductors". IBM Journal of Research and Development 14 (1): 61–65. doi:10.1147/rd.141.0061. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5391729. 
  9. ↑ "This Weeks's Citation Classic", Current Contents No 28, July 13, 1987.
  10. ↑ "Anna Esaki Wed To Craig S. Smith". The New York Times. 1990-01-14. https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/14/style/anna-esaki-wed-to-craig-s-smith.html. 
  11. ↑ Nordling, Carl (1995). "How to get the Nobel Prize in physics". Physica Scripta 59: 21–25. doi:10.1088/0031-8949/1995/T59/001. Bibcode: 1995PhST...59...21N. https://web.stanford.edu/~rotundu/documents/how_to_get_it.pdf. 
  12. ↑ "Nishina Memorial Prize". Nishina Memorial Foundation. https://www.nishina-mf.or.jp/project_en/kinen_en/. 
  13. ↑ "IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award Recipients". IEEE. http://www.ieee.org/documents/liebmann_rl.pdf. 
  14. ↑ "Leo Esaki". Franklin Institute. https://fi.edu/en/awards/laureates/leo-esaki. 
  15. ↑ "James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials". http://www.aps.org/programs/honors/prizes/mcgroddy.cfm. 
  16. ↑ "The Harold Pender Award Lecture". University of Pennsylvania. https://events.seas.upenn.edu/distinguished-lectures/pender-lecture/. 
  17. ↑ "Leo Esaki". IEEE. https://corporate-awards.ieee.org/recipient/leo-esaki/. 
  18. ↑ "Leo Esaki". https://www.nasonline.org/directory-entry/leo-esaki-axpoif/. 
  19. ↑ "Dr. Leo Esaki". https://www.nae.edu/28169/Dr-Leo-Esaki. 
  20. ↑ "APS Member History". https://search.amphilsoc.org/memhist/search?creator=Leo+Esaki&title=&subject=&subdiv=&mem=&year=&year-max=&dead=&keyword=&smode=advanced. 
  21. ↑ "Honorary Doctorates". https://ccss.hkust.edu.hk/honorary-doctorates. 
  22. ↑ "ノーベル賞:江崎、小林、朝永氏の銅像やレリーフ設置 完成記念式でお披露目 「子どもが夢を」−−つくば・中央公園 ／茨城 - 毎日新聞". http://mainichi.jp/feature/news/m20150316ddlk08040111000c.html. 

Further reading

  • Large scale integrated circuits technology: state of the art and prospects, proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Large Scale Integrated Circuits Technology: State of the Art and Prospects," Erice, Italy, July 15–27, 1981 / edited by Leo Esaki and Giovanni Soncini (1982)
  • Highlights in condensed matter physics and future prospects / edited by Leo Esaki (1991)

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