Van Vleck, John Hasbrouck (1899-1980), an American physicist, did important theoretical and practical work that helped the development of electronics. Van Vleck's work included studies of magnetism, in particular, the application of quantum mechanics to understand the magnetic properties of atoms and molecules. He also worked on ligand fields, electric fields surrounding an electron of a given atom caused by the presence of other atoms or ions (electrically charged atoms) nearby. This research proved useful in developing silicon chips and in other aspects of solid-state physics, the science that deals with the physical properties of solid materials. He also made important contributions to the study of lasers, radar, and radioastronomy. For contributions to the development of modern electronics, Van Vleck shared the 1977 Nobel Prize for physics with fellow American Philip Anderson and with Sir Nevill Mott from the United Kingdom (see Anderson, Philip Warren ; Mott, Sir Nevill).