Physics Today

Albert Vinicio Baez Al Thompson and George Castro

Citation: Physics Today 60(11), 75 (2007); doi: 10.1063/1.2812133 View online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2812133 View Table of Contents: http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/magazine/physicstoday/60/11?ver=pdfcov Published by the AIP Publishing

Reuse of AIP Publishing content is subject to the terms at: https://publishing.aip.org/authors/rights-and-permissions. Download to IP: 149.28.91.2 On: Wed, 17 Aug 2016 19:04:25 ARNEBREE AINLLABORATORY NATIONAL BERKELEY LAWRENCE while the other sulfur atom has a va- lence state of +6. The two peaks we had observed originated from the two dif- ferent sulfur atoms. Not only was the photoelectron method a promising technique as a quantitative chemical analysis method, but more important, it could be used to investigate the valence state of the atoms. Kai was pleased when we met the fol- lowing morning, for he had seen the product of the prior night’s work on his desk. We all realized the potential of the discovery; Kai quickly reallocated re- sources toward the new technique, which he gave the acronym ESCA. Within a few years, the Uppsala group could boast an international leadership position in the field while, simultane- #7 $IODE ,ASERS ously, several groups around the world Albert Vinicio Baez initiated activities in the new area of 7AVELENGTHS  k  NM research. land, where he became a full professor. Kai’s ultimate recognition from the In 1944 he moved to Stanford Univer- scientific community came with the sity; there he taught undergraduate Nobel Prize in Physics in 1981 “for his courses in physics and mathematics. ’ 5PŸTOŸŸ7 contribution to the development of After World War II, he decided to ’ 4UNABLE high-resolution electron spectroscopy.” switch from mathematics to physics for He shared the prize with Arthur his PhD. With Paul Kirkpatrick as his ’ .ARROWŸLINEWIDTH Schawlow and Nicolaas Bloembergen. research professor, he wrote his thesis, The Nobel Prize was the culmination “Principles of X-Ray Optics and the De- ’ 3INGLE MODE of a series of distinguished interna- velopment of a Single Stage X-Ray Mi- tional awards, honorary doctoral de- croscope”; he received his PhD in 1950. grees, and academy memberships Kai In 1948 Al and Kirkpatrick developed received in his lifetime. They all pay the theory of using grazing-incidence tribute to a man who today would be mirrors to focus x rays. For their focus- called a successful scientific entrepre- ing geometry, they envisioned two such neur: a dedicated scientist, an engineer mirrors mounted perpendicular to one who was fascinated by the latest tech- another to overcome limitations of con- nological innovation, a businessman ventional optical systems. Unfortu- who could both allocate and attract nately, developing a usable instrument money for important scientific research, was not possible because high-quality a research manager, and a champion for mirrors and intense x-ray sources were physics in Sweden. not available. However, the focusing Stig B. Hagstrom geometry, named in the research team’s Stanford, honor (the Kirkpatrick–Baez configura- tion), is now widely used at synchrotron ’ 'RATINGŸSTABILIZEDŸDIODEŸLASERS facilities and in some astrophysics (&'/'/')%'%5 Albert Vinicio experiments to produce high-intensity, focused x-ray beams smaller than 1 μm2 ’ (IGHŸPOWERŸDIODEŸLASERS Baez with a wide energy bandpass. ANDŸAMPLIÚERS Albert Vinicio Baez, a pioneer in x-ray During a brief stint at the Cornell 7$'/;%RRV7$ optics and codeveloper of the x-ray re- Aeronautical Laboratory in Buffalo, New flection microscope, died of natural York, in 1950, Al found he was uneasy ’ &REQUENCYŸCONVERTEDŸLASERS causes on 20 March 2007 in Redwood doing operations research for a classified 6+*)+*6)* City, California. In addition to being a US Navy project. He soon moved to the noted physicist, Al was a passionate hu- in California, manitarian and educator. where he continued his research on x-ray See www.pt.ims.ca/12312-41 Al was born in , , on optics. Realizing the potential of Fresnel 4/04)#!Ÿ 9OURŸ0ARTNERŸFOR zone plates for high-resolution mi- 15 . When he was two %JPEF-BTFS4ZTUFNT years old, his family moved to Brook- croscopy and telescope imaging with soft qON lyn, New York. He graduated with a x rays and extreme UV radiation, in 1952 'FNUPTFDPOE'JCFS-BTFST bachelor’s degree in mathematics from he outlined the theoretical advantages qON in 1933 and a master’s and method of fabrication. Later, in 1962, in mathematics from Syracuse Univer- he published in the Journal of the Optical 'RAEFELÚNG Ÿ'ERMANY sity in 1935. From 1940 to 1944, Al Society of America a paper demonstrating 5   TBMFT!UPQUJDBDPN taught at Wagner College on Staten Is- the fabrication of zone plates and the 7ESTÚELD Ÿ-!Ÿ53! Reuse of AIPwww.physicstoday.org Publishing content is subject to the terms at: https://publishing.aip.org/authors/rights-and-permissions. November 2007 Physics Today 75 5   Download to IP: 149.28.91.2 On: Wed, 17 Aug 2016 19:04:25 TBMFT!UPQUJDBVTBDPN Statement of Ownership, achievement of diffraction-limited reso- sion. His many friends felt that he em- Management and Circulation lution in the UV. bodied those qualities, and we miss his (Act of 12 August 1970; Section 3685, Title 39, USC) Al was a Quaker and had a passion- stimulating ideas and gentle ways. ate interest in science . In 1951 Al Thompson 1. Title of publication: PHYSICS TODAY he combined the two when he went to Berkeley, California 2. Publication no.: 0031-9228 Iraq for a year under the auspices of the George Castro 3. Date of Filing: 1 October 2007 UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural San José State University 4. Frequency of issue: Monthly San José, California 5. No. of issues published annually: 12 Organization (UNESCO) to help estab- 6. Annual subscription price: $395.00 lish the departments of physics, chem- 7. Location of known office of publication: istry, and biology at Univer- Horace Richard 2 Huntington Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502 sity. With his wife, Joan, he coauthored 8. Location of the headquarters or general business the book A Year in Baghdad (J. Daniels, Crane offices of the publisher: One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3843 1988), which recalls the challenges of Experimental physicist H. Richard 9. Names and addresses of publisher, editor and raising three daughters in a startlingly “Dick” Crane, who was the first to meas- managing editor: different environment. ure the magnetic moment of free elec- Publisher: Randolph A. Nanna, American Insti- In 1956 Al returned to Stanford, trons, died of age-related complications tute of Physics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD where he began working with MIT 20740-3842 in Chelsea, Michigan, on 19 April 2007, Editor: Stephen G. Benka, American Institute of physics professor Jerrold Zacharias, just months short of his 100th birthday. Physics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD who had formed the Physics Science Born on 4 November 1907, Crane 20740-3842 Study Committee. The PSSC was an ef- was raised in Turlock, a small farming Managing Editor: Richard J. Fitzgerald, American fort to reshape the way physics was Institute of Physics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, town in central California. His parents MD 20740-3842 taught in high schools. In 1958 Al encouraged their young son’s fascina- 10. Owner (if owned by a corporation, its name and address moved his family to Cambridge, Mass- tion with technology by letting him ex- must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names achusetts, and began working at the and addresses of stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or periment with mechanical and electri- more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, Smithsonian Astrophysical Laboratory. cal devices around the house. By age 14 the names and addresses of the individual owners must be From 1961 to 1967, Al was the first he was licensed for amateur radio, an given. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated head of the division of science teaching firm, its name and address, as well as that of each individ- interest that lasted the rest of his life. ual, must be given. If the publication is published by a non- at UNESCO in Paris, where he helped In 1926 Crane enrolled as a freshman profit organization, its name and address must be stated.): develop projects in the basic sciences in at Caltech; when he graduated in 1930, American Institute of Physics, One Physics Ellipse, Col- Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the lege Park, MD 20740-3843 jobs were hard to find, so he returned to Arab states. He made a series of almost 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees and other security holders Caltech for graduate school. He joined owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, 100 films on physics principles for the Charles Lauritsen’s group as a graduate mortgages or other securities: None Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Cor- assistant and helped build an accelera- 12. The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organiza- poration from 1967 to 1974. He wrote an tion and the exempt status for Federal income tax purposes: tor used for studies of nuclear proper- Has not changed during the preceding 12 months undergraduate physics textbook, The ties and for neutron production. Crane 13. Publication name: PHYSICS TODAY New College Physics: A Spiral Approach also tried to find evidence for the exis- 14. Issue date for circulation data below: August (W. H. Freeman, 1967). Additionally, he tence of the neutrino. By age 28 he had 15. Extent and nature of circulation: was a chairman of the commission on finished his thesis and done a year of A. Total number of copies (net press run) the teaching of science for the Interna- postdoctoral work and had already Average* 129 151 August** 130 651 tional Council of Scientific Unions and of B. Paid and/or requested subscriptions been lead author on 17 letters and arti- 1,2. Paid or requested mail subscriptions the commission on education for the cles in Physical Review. Average* 124 307 August** 126 339 International Union for Conservation of In 1935 Harrison Randall at the Uni- 3,4. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales; other classes mailed Nature and Natural Resources. versity of Michigan found the money to Average* none August** none Al liked to tell how surprised he was hire the bright Californian as an in- C. Total paid and/or requested circulation when, as he was registering for a structor. On arriving in Ann Arbor, (sum of B1–B4) Average* 124 307 August** 126 339 physics conference in Geneva, Switzer- Crane began building a 1-MeV acceler- D. Free or nominal rate distribution land, in 1963, he was asked, “Are you ator and also undertook experiments 1,2. Free or nominal rate mail copies the father of [folksinger] ?” with radioactive sources. Over the Average* 3 014 August** 2 814 3,4. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes or His daughter had just been on the cover years 1936–40, he continued the study other distribution of Time magazine. From then on, it was of nuclear disintegration, gamma and Average* none August** none often the first question he was asked— beta spectra, and mechanisms of elec- E. Total free distribution (sum of D1–D4) Average* 3 014 August** 2 814 even at physics conferences. tron energy loss. F. Total distribution (sum of C and E) A lifelong pacifist, Al opposed both He also continued to search for the Average* 127 321 August** 129 153 the nuclear weapons buildup of the G. Copies not distributed (office use, leftovers and spoiled) neutrino. In 1938 he and Jules Halpern Average* 1 830 August** 1 498 1950s and, later, the Vietnam War; he published the first convincing quantita- H. Total (sum of F and G—should equal net press run worked with many peace and humani- tive measurements of neutrino momen- shown in A) tarian programs. After his retirement, Average* 129 151 August** 130 651 tum. And in 1939 Crane searched for he served as president of Vivamos neutrino absorption by burying a radio- J. Percent paid and/or requested circulation Mejor North America (Let Us Live Bet- active source in a bag of salt and looking (C/F×100) Average* 97.63% August** 97.82% ter), which strives to improve the qual- for sulfur produced by the inverse beta * Average number of copies of each issue during preceding 12 ity of life in Latin America through sci- decay of chlorine; he was able to set an months ence-based education and community upper limit for the cross section of the ** Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to development projects. process, and he also discussed the astro- filing date. When Al gave talks to students, he physical implications of his result. I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. often mentioned the importance of the Crane’s last publication on neutrinos, in Randolph A. Nanna, Publisher 3 Cs—curiosity, creativity, and compas- Reviews of Modern Physics in 1948, re-

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