# Frits Zernike

_Dutch physicist (1888–1966)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/frits-zernike
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Frederik "Frits" Zernike was a Dutch physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1953 for his invention of the phase-contrast microscope.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 16 July 1888 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Amsterdam ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P19))
- **Died:** 10 March 1966 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P570))
- **Place of death:** Amersfoort ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Kingdom of the Netherlands ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P27))
- **Occupation:** physicist; mathematician; inventor; university teacher; chemist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P106))
- **Education:** University of Amsterdam; University of Groningen ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P69))
- **Spouse:** Dora van Bommel van Vloten; Lena Koperberg-Baanders ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P26))
- **Awards:** Rumford Medal; Nobel Prize in Physics; honorary doctor of the University of Poitiers; Foreign Member of the Royal Society ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293#P166))

## Questions

**When was Frits Zernike born?**  
Frits Zernike was born on 16 July 1888 in Amsterdam.

**Where did Frits Zernike study?**  
Frits Zernike was educated at University of Amsterdam, University of Groningen.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Frits Zernike](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frits_Zernike) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q188293](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188293) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Zernike.jpg by Nobel foundation (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zernike.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Frits Zernike, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Zernike.jpg — Nobel foundation, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Frits Zernike". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/frits-zernike. Retrieved 6 November 2026.