zoom_in Click to enlarge

Heike Kamerlingh Onnes

▲ ▼

description Heike Kamerlingh Onnes Overview

Heike Kamerlingh Onnes was a Dutch physicist renowned for his groundbreaking work in condensed matter physics during the early 20th century. He achieved the first successful liquefaction of helium and, crucially, discovered superconductivity at extremely low temperatures. This discovery fundamentally altered our understanding of electricity and magnetism. Onnes’s research paved the way for numerous technological advancements and earned him the 1913 Nobel Prize in Physics.

His work remains vital for scientists and engineers studying materials science and related fields today.

help Heike Kamerlingh Onnes FAQ

When exactly did Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discover superconductivity?

On April 8, 1911, at Leiden University in the Netherlands, Onnes measured the electrical resistance of a mercury wire cooled with liquid helium and found it dropped abruptly to zero at approximately 4.2 Kelvin. This was the first observation of what he called superconductivity.

How did Onnes liquefy helium and when?

In 1908, Onnes became the first person to liquefy helium at his cryogenic laboratory at Leiden University, reaching temperatures of about 1.5 Kelvin. This achievement made his Leiden facility the coldest laboratory on Earth and opened the field of ultra-low-temperature physics.

What Nobel Prize did Kamerlingh Onnes receive?

Onnes was awarded the 1913 Nobel Prize in Physics for his investigations on the properties of matter at low temperatures, which led to the production of liquid helium and the discovery of superconductivity.

What was the Leiden cryogenic laboratory that Onnes built?

Onnes established his cryogenic laboratory at the University of Leiden, which became the world's leading center for low-temperature physics research in the early 1900s. The facility attracted visiting scientists from across Europe and was famous for its large-scale liquefaction equipment.