QUICK FACTS
Date of Birth
1945
Tulkarem, Palestine.
Place of Birth
Why Featured?
Dr. Nayfeh is renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to nanotechnology and physics, including pioneering work in multi-photon dissociation of molecules and isotope separation, as well as significant advancements in Nano electronics and photonics.
BRIEF BIO
Dr. Nayfeh is a distinguished physicist who has made seminal contributions to the field of nanotechnology. He has held positions at prestigious institutions such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Yale University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he developed innovative experimental programs and theoretical research in physics.
LAST UPDATED
DATE
Monday, January 26, 2026
MAJOR MILESTONES
Key dates & turning points
Research Physicist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (1974-1976): Dr. Nayfeh worked as a postdoctoral fellow and research physicist, laying the foundation for his future contributions in physics...See More
Lecturer at Yale University (1976-1978): He served as a lecturer at Yale, further advancing his academic career in physics.
Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois (since 1978): His tenure at the University of Illinois saw the development of an active experimental program to study the multi-photon dissociation of molecules and the behavior of hydrogen molecules in intense laser fields.
Development of "Writing with Atoms" Technique: Dr. Nayfeh conceived and developed an experimental program termed "writing with atoms," which combines the spatial selectivity of electric fields in a scanning tunneling microscope with the frequency selectivity of a laser.
Investigation of Nanometer-Scale Structures: His recent work includes fabricating and analyzing nanometer-scale structures, providing insights into the fundamental nature and interactions of solids at nanometer/atomic scales.
CONTRIBUTIONS
What they did, and why it matters
Pioneering Isotope Separation using Multi-Photon Dissociation: This groundbreaking work demonstrated isotope separation for the first time using multi-photon dissociation processes.
Seminal Research in Molecular Coulomb Explosions: Dr. Nayfeh was the first to examine the behavior of hydrogen molecules in intense laser fields, initiating a new area of research in molecular Coulomb explosions.
Innovative Techniques in Nanotechnology: His "writing with atoms" technique allows for the deposition of fine patterns with nearly atomic resolution on various substrates.
Research on Classical Chaotic Dynamics in Hydrogen Atoms: His theoretical work on the role of classical chaotic dynamics in hydrogen atoms has contributed significantly to the field.
Advancements in Nano electronics and Photonics: His work in fabricating nanometer-scale structures has significant implications for technological applications in Nano electronics and photonics...See More
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Last updated
Jan 26, 2026
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