Gerd Binnig (physicist)

Gerd Binnig is a physicist renowned for co-inventing the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), a device that allows scientists to observe and manipulate individual atoms on surfaces. This invention revolutionized nanotechnology by providing unprecedented atomic-scale imaging and control. Binnig's work earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986, shared with Heinrich Rohrer. The STM has broad applications, from materials science to electronics, enabling precise exploration of matter at the smallest scales. His contributions have significantly advanced our understanding of atomic and molecular structures.