Awardee Interviews | Biography: Rudolf M.Tromp

Rudolf M.Tromp


Rudolf M. TrompRudolf M. Tromp, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, "for fundamental discoveries in epitaxial growth and elucidation of their applications to technologial problems."
 
Rudolf M. Tromp received a degree in physics engineering from the Twente University of Technlolgy (the Netherlands) in 1978.  In 1982, he obtained a Ph.D in physics from the University of Utrecht (cum laude), for medium energy ion scattering studies on the structure of silicon surfaces at the FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics in Amsterdam, with Prof. Dr. F.W. Saris as advisor and Prof. Dr. M.J. Sparnaay as co-advisor.  In 1983, he joined the IBM T.J. Watson research Center where he presently holds the position of Manager of Molecular Assemblies and Devices.  His research interests include the structure, growth, and dynamics of surfaces and interfaces, including surface phase transitions, modifications of organic and inorganic crystal growth by adsorbed monolayers ('surfactants'), and the thermodynamics of nanoscale self-assembly in 2D and 3D.  He has also played an active role in the development and application of novel experimental techniques and methods such medium energy ion scattering, scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, ultra high vacuum transmission electron microscopy, and low energy electron microscopy.
 
Tromp was the recipient of the 1981 Wayne B. Nottingham Prize (Physical Electronics Conference).  He was elected member of the Boehmische Physical Society in 1984 and APS Fellow in 1993.  He received IBM Outstanding Innovation and Technical Achievement Awards in 1987, 1991, 1992, and 2003.
 
In 1995, he received the Materials Research Society Medal "for pioneering experiments on the role of atomic structure, surface stress, and surfactants in heteroepitaxial growth."  In 2003, he was honored with the APS Davisson-Germer Prize "for his pioneering work in understanding the structure and growth of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces."  He is a member of AVS, APS, MRS, and MSA  and the author of about 200 scientific papers and 6 US patents.