Andreas J. Heinrich
Andreas J. Heinrich | |
|---|---|
| Born | Germany |
| Occupation | Physicist |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Known for | Scanning tunneling microscopy, quantum technology, nanoscience, atomic-scale data storage, single-atom spin measurements |
| Notable work | A Boy and His Atom (stop-motion film) |
Andreas J. Heinrich is a physicist with expertise in scanning tunneling microscopy, quantum technology, and nanoscience. Over an 18-year tenure at IBM Research - Almaden, he pioneered nanosecond scanning tunneling microscopy, enhancing temporal resolution by a factor of 100,000. He also integrated x-ray absorption spectroscopy with spin excitation spectroscopy. In 2015, his group successfully combined STM with electron spin resonance, allowing for spin measurements at the single-atom level with nano-electronvolt accuracy; by 2022, this technique was extended to individual molecules. Heinrich played a leading role in producing the stop-motion animated short film A Boy and His Atom, which involved the precise manipulation of thousands of atoms. He holds fellowships in both the American Physical Society and the AAAS and was awarded the Heinrich Rohrer Medal (Grand Medal) from the Japan Society of Vacuum and Surface Science.
In 2016, Heinrich accepted a position as distinguished professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul and became the founding director of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Center for Quantum Nanoscience (QNS). Construction on the center’s Research Cooperation Building began in 2018 and was completed in 2019, coinciding with the IBS Conference on Quantum Nanoscience. The QNS facility boasts some of the lowest vibration levels worldwide among STM laboratories and is dedicated to advancing quantum-coherent systems at the nanoscale, particularly focusing on surface-bound spins, establishing itself as a leader in quantum technology research.
Education
He obtained both his Masters degree (Diplom) and PhD in physics from the University of Göttingen, Germany, completing them in 1994 and 1998 respectively. Between 1994 and 1998, he served as a research assistant under R. G. Ulbrich. Following his doctoral studies, Heinrich conducted postdoctoral research at IBM Almaden alongside Kavli Prize recipient Don Eigler until 2001, when he transitioned into a researcher/engineer role.
Career
Driven by a desire to join IBM Almaden Research Center, he secured funding through a scholarship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to support his relocation abroad, an event highlighted by Stern as part of Germany’s "brain drain". After several years at IBM Almaden, he advanced to lead the magnetic nanostructures and scanning probe microscopy group in 2005, a position he held until 2016. In recognition of his contributions to spin excitation spectroscopy and nanosecond STM, he was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2012. Since that year, he has also been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, Germany.
While pushing the boundaries of data storage technology, Heinrich’s team produced A Boy and His Atom, which holds the title of World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Their work demonstrated that data storage could be miniaturized from one million atoms down to twelve; within five years, they further reduced this scale to just a single atom. This accomplishment was acknowledged by the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT as a major national milestone.
In 2016, Heinrich relocated to South Korea where he assumed roles as distinguished professor at Ewha Womans University and director of the Institute for Basic Science Center for Quantum Nanoscience. The center’s mission is to manipulate quantum states of molecules and atoms on surfaces and interfaces to develop highly sensitive quantum sensors. In partnership with IBM Almaden, they achieved MRI imaging on individual atoms.
Honors and awards
- 2025: Presidential Citation awarded during the 58th Science Day Government Commemoration
- 2024: Designated as an Honorary Citizen of Seoul
- 2023: Recipient of the Humboldt Research Award
- 2021: Honored with the Karl Friedrich Bonhoeffer Lecture Award
- 2020: Awarded the Heinrich Rohrer Medal
- 2018: Recognized for Exceptional National R&D Achievements by the Ministry of Science and ICT
- 2018: Foresight Institute Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology for pioneering work in atomic-scale manipulation related to data storage and computational technologies
- 2018: Joseph F. Keithley Award for Advances in Measurement Science, acknowledging the creation of innovative scanning probe instruments that have advanced measurement capabilities
- 2016: Granted Distinguished Fellowship under the Chinese Academy of Sciences President's International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI)
- 2014: Received IBM’s Outstanding Technical Achievement Award
- 2012: Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society
- 2011: Awarded IBM’s Best of IBM and Corporate Awards
- 2010: Honored again with IBM’s Outstanding Technical Achievement Award
- 2007: IBM Outstanding Innovation Award recipient
- 2003: Winner of IBM’s Research Division Award
- 1998: Feodor Lynen Scholarship awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany