Otto Stern (physicist)

Otto Stern was a German physicist known for his groundbreaking work in atomic and molecular physics. He is best remembered for the Stern-Gerlach experiment, conducted in 1922, which demonstrated the quantization of atomic magnetic moments, revealing how particles like electrons have discrete orientations in a magnetic field. This experiment provided crucial insights into quantum mechanics and the behavior of particles at the atomic level. In 1943, Stern fled Nazi Germany and later became a professor at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. His contributions significantly advanced our understanding of atomic structure and quantum theory.