Dieter Pohl (physicist)

Dieter Martin Pohl (born 1938) is a 
German–Swiss physicist known for his contributions to the field of near-field optics and nanophotonics.

 Education 
Pohl studied physics at ETH Zurich, where he completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor George Busch, specializing in experimental solid-state physics. After obtaining his doctorate, Pohl joined IBM's research laboratory in Rüschlikon, Switzerland, where he focused on various fields, including laser physics, optics, and scanning probe microscopy.

 Career 
During his time at IBM, Pohl made substantial contributions to the field of near-field optics, including the invention of ANSOM, which has had a profound impact on the study of optical properties at the nanoscale. His pioneering work in this area helped lay the groundwork for the emerging field of nanophotonics, where light-matter interactions are explored at dimensions smaller than the wavelength of light.

Pohl has also been a prolific author, publishing numerous research papers on topics related to optics, microscopy, and photonics. His work has been recognized globally, and he has received several awards for his contributions to physics, particularly in optical microscopy techniques.

Dieter Pohl’s research is primarily focused on overcoming the diffraction limit of light, which had long been a barrier in optical microscopy. His development of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) allowed researchers to achieve spatial resolution far beyond the capabilities of traditional light microscopes. This technique involves scanning a tiny aperture very close to the surface of the sample, capturing evanescent waves that contain high-resolution information.

 References 

Category:German physicists
Category:Swiss physicists
Category:People from the canton of Zürich
Category:1938 births
Category:Living people