Gerhard Scheler

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Gerhard Scheler at his honorary colloquium on April 30, 2010

Gerhard Scheler (born February 27, 1930 in Steinach ; † February 9, 2014 ibid) was a German experimental physicist and pioneer of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) .

life and work

1948 Abitur in Steinach (Thür.), Then secondary school assistant until 1950. In the former GDR, Scheler was denied direct access to studies because his father did not belong to the working class. From 1950 he studied physics at the University of Jena . The then institute director Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schütz had initiated research in the then new field of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) with the aim of uniting “spectroscopy of all wavelengths” in his institute.

1954 first laboratory setup of a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer in Jena

In this environment Scheler began his activities in NMR in 1953 under the difficult conditions of the post-war period and was thus involved in the Jena work in the field of NMR from the beginning until the end of 2005.

The first NMR signal in Jena came in 1954

In 1954 the first NRM signal could be detected, in 1955 the diploma thesis (co-supervisors Bruno Elschner , Manfred Pettig, Max Schubert) was completed. In 1958, the NMR in Jena had achieved a unique position in the area of ​​the RGW through the development and construction of a high-resolution NMR liquid spectrometer and from 1968 through the development and application of high-resolution NMR solid-state spectrometers . The Jena group provided essential preparatory work for the commercial spectrometers from Carl Zeiss Jena and the Center for Scientific Device Construction (ZWG) of the Berlin Academy of Sciences (AdW). Scheler received his doctorate in 1961, again under Schütz, on the subject of "Construction and testing of a high-resolution NMR spectrometer".

At the end of the 1960s, Scheler and colleagues introduced Fourier transform NMR spectroscopy, founded by RR Ernst, in Jena. Since his group in the GDR had no digital computers available until 1976, a self-made analog computer was used for Fourier transformation. Around the same time, the particularly demanding high-resolution solid-state NMR became the focus of interest.

Jena solid-state multi-pulse nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer 1975

In 1973 it was possible for the first time to split the NMR lines of a proton signal on kieserite single crystals. In 1975 the ZWG presented its products to an international audience on the occasion of the "High Frequency Spectrometers and Their Applications" conference in Leipzig. For this purpose, the Jena high-resolution NMR solid-state spectrometer was brought to Leipzig. It delivered high quality spectra without failure throughout the exhibition. This success made it possible to acquire a superconducting magnet, initially on loan from the AdW. The development of new transmission and detection electronics for the associated increase in frequency to 270 MHz caused difficulties because fast oscilloscopes were initially not available due to the embargo policy of the West. The highlights of these developments were the combination of the rapidly rotating sample with multi-pulse sequences at 270 MHz and the separation of the resonances of 4- and 6-fold coordinated aluminum in solid aluminum compounds. The corresponding work is one of the most cited publications that arose during the GDR era. The most important employees over the years were Rudolf Müller, Hans Rosenberger and Uwe Haubenreißer.

In 1985, Scheler completed his habilitation ( PhD B ). An intensive collaboration with the MPI for Polymer Research Mainz (Prof. Spieß) followed. Over the years Scheler has delivered five special measuring heads to Mainz. This cooperation and the trips to the West were made possible by the proven quality of the Jena NMR measuring heads and the interest of the GDR authorities in the associated foreign exchange income. During these trips, Scheler came into contact with modern western measurement electronics and NMR technology, especially with the Bruker company .

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Scheler was appointed head of the NMR department. The cooperation with Bruker has been intensified. Scheler took over solid-state measuring head development for the frequency range beyond 600 MHz for Bruker, while Bruker delivered modern equipment to Jena in return. In 1993 Scheler was appointed professor for experimental physics. At the same time he was director of the Institute for Optics and Quantum Electronics until 1994. In 1995 Scheler retired.

Almost from the beginning he was involved in the construction and furnishing of the main building of today's Physics and Astronomy Faculty. He directed the second construction phase and designed a state-of-the-art electrical installation, which was removed after the fall of the Wall in 1990 due to incompatible regulations. As the building manager from 1956 to 1996, he played a significant role in the construction and maintenance of the building, which is now a listed building, including some representative rooms such as the large lecture hall.

Scheler is still working on the development of NMR measuring heads. In addition, in recent years he has increasingly devoted himself to recreating historical experiments, especially those relating to the University of Jena.

On June 17, 2011, he celebrated his “golden doctorate” because 50 years ago he was awarded his doctorate. For this he was honored by the rector of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Prof. Dr. Klaus Dicke at a ceremony on the 9th Alumni Day of the Physics and Astronomy Faculty.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 50 years of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at the Physics Institute of the University of Jena . Jena Yearbook on Technology and Industrial History, Volume 6, 2004, Glaux-Verlag Jena, ISBN 3-931743-77-2
  2. ↑ R. Müller: Experimental and theoretical contributions to NMR line narrowing on solids with special consideration of internal thermal movements . Dissertation B, Jena
  3. ↑ D. Müller, W. Gessner, H.-J. Behrens, G. Scheler: Determination of the Aluminum Coordination in Aluminum Oxygen Compound by Solid State High Resolution AL NMR . In: Chemical Physics Letters 79, 59 (1981)
  4. ↑ 50 years of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at the Physics Institute of the University of Jena , Jena yearbook on technology and industrial history, Volume 6, 2004, Glaux-Verlag Jena, ISBN 3-931743-77-2
  5. ↑ uni-jena.de: Pictures from the 9th Alumni Day
personal data
SURNAME Scheler, Gerhard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German physicist
DATE OF BIRTH February 27, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH Steinach (Thuringia)
DATE OF DEATH February 9, 2014
Place of death Steinach (Thuringia)