Leo Esaki, Nobel Prize in Physics 1973: An interview from 2004
Summary
TLDRノーベル賞を受賞した1973年以来数十年が経ちますが、初めに物理学に興味を持ち、その分野を選択した理由について話してください。戦時下の日本で自然科学の基礎知識を求めていたとのこと。戦後の日本の状況を背景に、東京大学を卒業後、産業界に進むことで日本経済への貢献を望んだと語られた。1957年にノーベル賞を受賞し、アメリカへ移住するが、文化の違いによる文化ショックを感じながらも、科学は国際的な分野であると感じた。IBMでの研究では人工量子構造の創造に成功し、新しい物質を作り出す新しい物質科学の道を模索した。日本に戻り、国立大学の学長として教育者としての役割を果たしたが、研究者としてのクリエイティビティを欠かせなかった。物理学の分野では、量子コンピューターや量子通信などの分野で、量子力学の原則を応用した突破が期待されると述べている。
Takeaways
- 🏆 プロフェッサーは1973年にノーベル賞を受賞しましたが、その出発点は高校時代に物理学に興味を持ったことです。
- 🌟 戦争下での経験が彼に物理学という基本的な知識を求めるようになり、自然科における最も基本的な分野であると感じました。
- 🏛️ 戦後の日本は荒廃しており、彼は東京大学を卒業後、大学で研究を続けるのではなく、産業界に入ることを選びました。
- 🛠️ 産業界での経験が彼に科学者としての創造性を発揮する機会を与え、日本の産業に貢献する動機を燃やし続けました。
- 🎓 1957年にノーベル賞を受賞した後にアメリカへ移住し、文化の違いに直面しましたが、科学は国際的な分野であるため、日常生活の文化的な衝突は少し解消されました。
- 🔬 IBMでの研究では、人工量子構造の創造を目指し、自然に存在しない新しい材料の開発に取り組みました。
- 🌐 アメリカと日本の研究環境の違いは、アメリカがより底上げ型のアプローチで、日本はトップダウン型の傾向があると感じました。
- 👨🏫 日本に戻り、大学の学長として教育者としての役割を果たすことが求められ、研究者としての創造性を欠いたと感じました。
- 🤔 科学の進歩には個人の創造性と科学者間のダイナミックな相互作用が必要なと語りました。アメリカはその相互作用が活発で開放的だと述べています。
- 🔮 物理学の未来においては、量子コンピューターや量子通信など、量子力学の原則を応用する分野で突破が期待されると予測しています。
- 📱 通信分野における量子力学の応用は、安全性の高い暗号化通信を実現し、携帯電話やパソコンなど私たちの生活に直接的な影響を与えると期待しています。
Q & A
ノーベル賞を受賞されたのはどの年にですか?
-1973年にノーベル賞を受賞しました。
物理学に興味を持った理由は何ですか?
-高校時代に基本的な自然科学研究に興味があり、物理学は最も基本的な分野だと感じたためです。
戦争の心理的影響はあなたにどのような影響を与えましたか?
-戦争時には基本的な知識を身につけたいという強い願望があり、物理学を学ぶことで多くのことを理解することができると信じていました。
戦後の日本を再建する意欲はどのように影響されましたか?
-戦後、東京大学に入学し、日本の経済や産業が低迷している状況下で、大学を卒業後も産業界に進むことを決めました。
アメリカへ移住した時期とその遷移はどのようなものですか?
-1957年後にアメリカへ移住しましたが、1960年代にはアメリカと日本との間で文化的な衝突を感じながらも、アメリカでの生活は比較的容易でした。
アメリカでの生活と日本の生活の違いは何ですか?
-アメリカでは科学は国際的な分野として扱われ、日常生活においては英語と日本語の違いが大きな問題でしたが、科学者として問題は感じませんでした。
アメリカのIBMでの仕事はどのように影響を与えましたか?
-IBMで働くことで自由度が高くなり、独自の量子構造に関する研究を進めることができました。
アメリカから日本に戻った際の文化的な衝突はどのようなものですか?
-アメリカから日本に戻った際には、研究者から教育者への役割の変化と、政府の教育機関での責任感という点で文化的な衝突を感じました。
日本とアメリカの研究環境の違いは何ですか?
-アメリカはよりボトムアップで、日本はトップダウンの研究環境が一般的でしたが、現在は日本でも若い科学者への刺激と創造性を促す変化が進んでいます。
物理学の未来において最も興味深い分野は何ですか?
-量子コンピューターや量子通信分野に興味があり、量子力学の原理を応用することで革新的な発展が期待されます。
物理学における未解決の問題として何を挙げられますか?
-通信やコンピューター分野における突破が期待されており、量子力学を応用した新しい分野の開発が重要です。
Outlines
🏆 ノーベル賞受賞後のキャリア
ノーベル賞を受賞した後の経歴について語る。1973年に受賞し、戦時下の日本で物理学に興味を持ち、東京帝国大学に進学。戦争後の日本の状況を背景に、自然科学研究を志し、物理学を学ぶことを決めた。大学卒業後、日本の産業界に入社し、経済状況が悪い中でも貢献をしたいという動機から。1957年に重要な発見を行い、その後アメリカへ移住。アメリカとの文化の違いはあるが、科学は国際的な分野であるため、日常生活の英語でのコミュニケーションは問題だった。
🔬 IBMでの研究と帰国
アメリカのIBMでの仕事と、その後の帰国について。1960年代にIBMに入社し、研究の自由を享受。人工量子構造を研究し、新しい材料の創造を目指した。帰国後は国立大学の学長となり、産業界から教育者への変わりを経験。アメリカと日本の文化の違い、研究の自由と教育者の責任の重さについて語る。
🌟 科学の進歩と個人の創造性
科学の進歩と個人の創造性、そして科学者同士の相互作用の重要性について。アメリカと日本の研究スタイルの違いを比較し、若い科学者への機会の提供と創造性の励ましの必要性を強調。量子力学の原則を応用し、量子コンピューターや量子通信の分野での突破を期待している。日本政府も量子通信に力を入れており、その分野での活動を組織している。
🚀 物理学の未来と期待
物理学の未来と期待する分野について。通信やコンピューター分野での突破が期待されており、量子力学の原則を応用する量子コンピューターや量子通信が重要な分野になる。個々の創造性と科学者同士の相互作用が進歩に必要であると語り、科学の進歩とその応用が社会に与える影響についても触れる。
Mindmap
Keywords
💡ノーベル賞
💡物理学
💡第二次世界大戦
💡東京大学
💡産業界への移行
💡アメリカへの移住
💡IBM
💡量子力学
💡文化的な衝撃
💡教育者
💡量子コンピュータ
Highlights
Professor received the Nobel Prize in 1973.
Interest in physics sparked during high school amidst World War II.
Belief that understanding physics could lead to mastery in other fields.
Post-war Japan's poor conditions influenced the decision to stay in academia.
Graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1947, post-war period.
Professor chose industry over university for more contribution opportunities.
Made the major discovery in 1957, leading to the Nobel Prize.
Transitioned to the United States in the 1950s due to many offers.
Cultural differences between Japan and the U.S. presented challenges.
Science is an international enterprise, mitigating some cultural shock.
Language differences created problems, especially with English.
Returned to Japan after experiencing cultural shock moving from the U.S. back.
Worked in both private industry and as an educator in national university.
At IBM, the professor had the freedom to pursue creative research.
Concept of creating man-made quantum structures emerged during the time at IBM.
Interest in designing and engineering new materials not found in nature.
Quantum mechanics principles to be used for advancements in communication and computing.
Quantum computers and quantum telecommunications are areas of expected breakthroughs.
Japan has a significant government project on quantum telecommunications.
The importance of individual creativity and dynamic interaction among scientists.
The U.S. scientific community is characterized by a bottom-up approach and openness.
Japan's research structure is more top-down but is changing to encourage young scientists.
Transcripts
professor yes
very nice to meet you it has gone a few
years since you received the nobel
prize that's right 1973 that's right
but i really would like to start off by
asking you what made you
interested in physics at the very
beginning that's right
why did you choose that subject
well to that when i was high school
i have a opportunity to that what kind
of field i should go into
that certainly
this is during the war you know war is
certainly a death and destruction
you know japanese suffer of that
when i was the high school and
university at that time you know
sort of i like to get most of
fundamental
knowledge i mean that you know
in that circumstance
and yeah i want more
basic knowledge in the natural science
i think physics is certainly most
fundamental if you know
physics i think i can do many other
things
so the sort of during the
psychology of the war
you you sort of you like to know
before you die you know you like to
understand most fundamentals did you
want to be part of rebuilding japan and
see to that this is after the
war after the war so that i
entered university 1944
and i graduated university 47
40 war is ended 45 so that's
so i entered the tokyo
imperial university just some time
and after the war when i graduated
just tokyo university
but anyway i
after the
graduated the japan is very bad
circumcision you know everything
distracted and this japanese industry
business very poor conditions
i could stay in university to study but
i decided to go to industry
but was it better for you than to go
into industry than to go stay at the
university
university is a certain industry i had
more and the i i thought
i can contribute to that debate
to japanese industry you know
that because of japanese economy or
industry so
so so bad this is my prime motivation to
go into
industry you made your major discovery
in 1957
which was then you were awarded for by
with the nobel prize
um that was that sony after that you
moved to the united states that's right
um was that a difficult transition for
you to go from japan to
united states 1957 or 60.
what you mean is difficult difficult
you mean to the very easy because
i got many offer from united states in
that aspect very easy i just accept one
but of course culture different between
japan and the united states
so that makes right difficult you know
way of thinking and how you do many
things
is that different so
sort of cultural shock if we move from
japan to that's the
united states but
science is that you know more
international enterprise i mean global
enterprise so so as a scientist
i don't think much much problems more
problems of
kind of daily life i mean different life
even done with
english you know japanese and english is
a big difference that's
creates some problems of course after
two years i more or less i
decided to stay in the united states
but i had a call from japan so that
i had the transition from another
cultural shock
from united states to go back to japan
and the united states i worked at the
industry as i mentioned
after graduate my university i
entered japanese industry i changed from
american industry but i got
offer from japan i from call from japan
i
was the president of the national
university so i had this is this
private industry scientist private
industry to educator to
in this national university this so
many way the cultural shock i mean
once again the united states
from japan and also uh
industrial researcher to
government educators so you know many
cultures i would like to come back to
your move going back to
from going from united states to japan
just in a moment
but just to stay in the united states
for a little bit longer
um you were working at ibm and what was
it there that you
found useful working in the industry
over those years
you said scientifically as a scientist
it wasn't so difficult but
you know daily life was a shock but as a
scientist what was it at ibm what
culture did you find there that was
creative for for a researcher for a
scientist of your
state and i joined ibm's
and the uh back 1960
and then after few years i was elected
i've been federal i've been fellow
i've been fellow is that i was given
sort of
freedom certainly a moral
obligation to the company but anyway i
can do anything i
wanted so so this is idea
i got to make a
mom made sort of a man-made
quantum quantum structures
so this is a superlative is one of the
man-made quantum structures
i'm the material scientist
and usually you study many
materials to property and
what but i got idea i like to
make
create materials i like to design
i like to engineered
man-made material they uh you know
this is a new avenue of material science
you know we like to make man-made
materials
that doesn't exist nature so that's
this synthesized crystal
but new materials have the new totally
new properties so
the materials usually god give us to the
materials
gold silver so that
god give us creativity so i can make
create
so materials which god never given us
that so this new materials has many
interesting properties
you know so this is that we started to
that
programs so this is you need
material science somebody has to prepare
materials
somebody has to make measurement and so
this is not one month if i organize some
group
of this not not very big
group but some something like 10 people
working so this is a
kind of basic research i mean you know
not not not very committed
not very committed if if i just may come
back to
to when you move back then from united
states
to japan you said it was a culture shock
what was the biggest
difficulties at that time and
what was there something that you wanted
to bring with you from america
that was difficult to implement in japan
well
that many fields that
the cultural cultural difference between
japan and united states is one thing but
the other
is that i was in united states i'm more
researcher but in japan i'm president
of that university this is more more
educated
so that you you need more
the scientists you need creative
mind educator you need
judicious judicious mind all right
because that government you know
national university
bureaucrat government officer do you
miss that part of the creativeness
as a researcher when you had to go back
and be more of an educator
yeah i think yeah i think to that
even there i missed certainly research
i missed that direct
contact research activities
is it also a difference in the
hierarchical structure within the
research
departments from if you compare but
between united states and japan
are the japanese system more
hierarchical structure
and in which way could that either
enhance or or diminish the creativity
united states is a more bottom-up
kind of activity you know this but
research but japan generally
little top down to that reside so that
that's
slightly different but
certainly even in japan now is changing
very fast this
to give a more opportunity to young
scientists young people to
the more encouraged more creative
history
history clearly tell us that in progress
science needs two things one is
individual creativity
the other is the dynamic interaction
among scientists so that
that dynamic interaction is
very active in the united states that so
that is one of the progress of united
states science is a dynamic
very easy to dynamic interaction so the
more open
things of course individual creativity
is more fundamentally necessary
just my last question professor would be
what is the out there to discover what
is your
biggest question mark if you will had a
wish list what would you ask
somebody or would would you like to see
what is the big discovery yet to be done
in physics
whereas the uh
[Music]
we still need this
breakthrough in this many
areas that i
worked that certainly
communication and
some computer fields that one
breakthrough we can expect the
quantum quantum computer and quantum
telecommunications you know using to
that
uh the
principle of the quantum mechanics
quantum mechanics
already you know the
early 20th centuries that formulated
certain quantum mechanics infinites many
things but the 21st century
we like the use of the principle of
quantum mechanics
this is one principle of the
superposition
superposition principle you if you use
principle you can make a
quantum computers which is a vast
improvement of the present computers
and if you use that quantum
communications you can use that
crypto cryptography you know you can
the uh you cannot decode
of that your uh your code you you know
very safe communication i think that one
of this
field which is this japanese actually
in japan government big japan
project of that quantum
tele communications and
i'm sort of organizing of these
activities so we need individual
creativity to
make of this kind of thing so that's i
think this is a
one of this is important
things in this you
this this is the communications is
very important everybody everybody
portable phone and everybody's
pc and those so still we need
improvement of those fields
improvement and foster using quantum
mechanics is
this application those quantum mechanics
that will be very exciting to see when
that is happening yes
thank you very much professor for your
time okay very good
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