Michael Berry
Physicist
Background Information
Michael Berry was born in Surrey in the United Kingdom on March 14th, 1941. Berry is currently 74 and is a Mathematical Physicist at the University of Bristol in England. Berry has a BSc in physics from the University of Exeter and a PhD from the University of St. Andrews. Berry was in this educational process from 1979 to 1984.
Major Contribution to Physics: Berry Phase
Michael Berry is responsible for observing what is called Berry Phase, or Pancharatnam–Berry phase. The Berry phase is a crucial concept in many quantum mechanical effects, including quantum computing. It modifies the motion of a vertex, or vortices (plural), in super-conductors and the motion of electrons in extremely small electronic devices. The Berry Phase has a major effect on the understanding of material properties. The Berry Phase allows for physicists to better understand material properties, which allows them to contribute more important knowledge to the physics community.