J. Robert Schrieffer

J. Robert Schrieffer was a prominent American physicist known for his contributions to condensed matter physics, particularly in the understanding of superconductivity. Along with colleagues John Bardeen and Leon Cooper, he developed the BCS theory (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory), which explains how certain materials can conduct electricity without resistance at low temperatures. This theory fundamentally changed our understanding of electrical properties in materials and has significant implications in semiconductor physics and the development of technologies like MRI machines and particle accelerators. Schrieffer's work has had a lasting impact on both theoretical and applied physics.