PHYSICS at ARKANSAS Discharge Tubes Were Used

8. Doctoral Program and Graduate Research

by Raymond H. Hughes and Paul C. Sharrah second group of programs. These included ani- mal sciences, botany and bacteriology, compara- First Doctoral Programs tive literature, physics, psychology, zoology, and Under the Presidency of Lewis Webster Jones engineering. In the next few years doctoral pro- in 1949 it was determined that it was time to grams were approved also for business adminis- initiate doctoral programs within the graduate tration, agronomy, anatomy, microbiology, school. (Ref. 3, p. 233) instrumental sciences (at the Graduate Institute The newly appointed graduate dean, Dr. Virgil of Technology in Little Rock), and mathematics. W. Adkisson, was instructed to proceed carefully A third significant expansion was authorized but ambitiously in 1970. These programs were history, plant with this program. pathology, and entomology. These last two pro- The departments, grams were implemented after reaccreditation as a starter, were and improved funding had been provided. to offer a better The graduate school enrollment in 1948 had selection of ad- been 272 students (Ref. 2, p. 159) but had risen vanced undergrad- to 1,659 by spring 1971 (Ref. 3, p. 234). By fall uate courses as 1993 there were a total of about 35 clearly deemed appropri- defined doctoral programs on the Fayetteville ate! Physics, for campus and a graduate school enrollment figure example, decided of 2,150 students. (Information courtesy in the early Professor David W. Hart, Associate Dean, 1 9 5 0 ’s, to require Graduate School.) Forty-four years of progress a thesis for the since that day in 1949 when it was decided to M.S. degrees as a develop doctoral programs! part of this effort Virgil W. Adkisson, Graduate to strengthen the Dean when the expansion into Physics Proposal departmental pro- Ph.D. programs took place prin- The Ph.D. program in physics was approved in gram. cipally in the 1950s and 1960s. 1959 even though the manpower and research The first thing support and other visible assets in physics were D r. Adkisson did quite limited. There were only four active was to visit a number of graduate programs both members of the physics faculty: C. Y. Fan, R. H. regionally and nationally seeking to ascertain Hughes, H. M. Schwartz, and P. C. Sharrah. what the move into offering doctoral work About all that could be said for the department would entail. A graduate affairs committee of was that there was a strong desire to succeed! broad representation within the university was Of course it seemed necessary for the major appointed as a study and advisory group to the University in the State to go that route, but this dean. fact alone was not sufficient. Considerable The first doctoral programs were initiated in work had to be done by the University and espe- 1950-51. These were in biochemistry (at the cially the physics faculty! Medical Center), education, chemistry, eco- A few details concerning the physics doctoral nomics, English, history (discontinued in 1952), proposal and the process of gaining its approval and philosophy. Physiology and pharmacology are in order here. were approved later. The proposal was submitted by the Ph y s i c s Physics was one of the departments approved Department to the Graduate School in 1958. for a doctoral program in 1959 as a part of a The graduate dean and the graduate council,

83 after a private session, sent the proposal back resources to begin the Ph.D. program; hence, for certain clarification of points and rewriting the stipulation by the Graduate School to obtain by its principal author, Professor R. H. Hughes. the fellowships was most relevant. The chairman of physics, Professor Paul C. Proposals were written promptly for the NDEA Sharrah, was called to another meeting of the Title IV fellowships. Four were provided by the graduate council in the graduate dean’s office. initial proposal. These fellowships were to be a Arts and Sciences Dean Guerdon D. Nichols was vital part of the physics programs for the next also brought in for this conference. several years. Many of these NDEA Title IV fel- One of the members of the graduate council lows are teaching in various colleges and univer- leaned over to Sharrah and whispered, “I know sities today. This was the goal of that program. why you are so calm and self-confident. Yo u Two other Federal fellowship programs soon know that we are going to approve your propos- became available. These programs provided al ultimately”. Suddenly Sharrah was calm and NSF Traineeships and NASA Traineeships; funded self-confident. by the National Science Foundation and the At one point, after about thirty minutes of National Aeronautics and Space Administration discussion, Graduate Dean Adkisson turned r e s p e c t i v e l y. These new programs forced the abruptly to Dean Nichols and said, “If we decide departments to compete with each other to give the go ahead to physics, will you give University wide for these fellowships. These them your complete backing?” Dean Nichols two programs, like NDEA Title IV, also supported looked at Sharrah and said quietly but sincerely, the student’s research programs as well as pro- “Yes.” viding their stipends. Dean Adkisson and Associate Dean Aubrey A one-time grant from the Baldwin Pi a n o Harvey came to the department to talk directly Company came at a propitious moment in the with the physics faculty. The meeting was in early 1960’s and made possible the purchase of Room 1, the only air-conditioned classroom in certain critical items. One such item was a heli- the physics building. The meeting was short, um vacuum leak detector. only about thirty minutes. We were becoming Thus these three fellowship programs not only rather self-conscious and even apologetic about provided critical funds to assist the department our obvious limitations. But it was Dean to develop the doctoral program but also made Adkisson who volunteered that we would be it possible to attract promising students into the given approval to proceed because there was a new graduate program. These special fellow- clear unanimous desire on the part of the ship programs became less critical when rea- department to go ahead. sonable research grant funding became avail- The doctoral program in physics was approved able in physics. The funding of the graduate in 1959 with the stipulation that the department students on research assistantships supplement- obtain NDEA (National Defense Education Act) ed by teaching assistantships became fairly ade- Title IV fellowships to support the doctoral pro- quate. gram. These Federally funded four-year fellow- Program Evolves ships gave the student a stipend comparable to an assistantship and a monetary supplement to The creation of the Ph.D. program in 1959, the department to support the student’s re- under the energetic stewardship of Pr o f . search effort. Hughes, led to the first Ph.D. graduate in 1964 The Ph.D. program was fortunate to be born ( William R. Pendleton). This together with a in the early post-Sputnik era (the Ru s s i a n growth in faculty led to the creation of a num- Sputnik went into orbit in 1957) when Con- ber of new graduate courses: Goldstein-level gressional cold-war concern over possible Advanced Mechanics, Jackson-level Russian scientific and technological dominance Electrodynamics (two semesters), Statistical led to a Federal push to develop graduate pro- Mechanics, Mathematical Methods of Ph y s i c s , grams in science and engineering. Neither the and several post-quantum mechanics courses: university nor the physics department had the Advanced Quantum Theory (two semesters),

84 Solid State Physics, and Atomic and Molecular eign languages! By 1975 the Ph.D. candidates Physics. Actually, an undergraduate course in in physics at the University of Arkansas no Solid State Physics was created in the 1950s, and longer had a foreign language requirement. was taught through the 60s by Prof. Day, using The two examination system, master’s and the text by Kittel which first appeared in 1953. doctoral preliminary examinations, quickly This course was dropped when the graduate evolved to a single examination, a preliminary course was put in its place. With the arrival of examination only for the doctoral candidates. Prof. Salamo in 1975 and subsequent quantum Thus the master’s degree lost its role as a step- opticians, courses in Quantum Optics, Laser ping stone to the Ph.D. degree and at the pre- Physics (and lab), and Optical Prop-erties of sent time essentially all Ph.D. students at Solids were added, bringing the graduate pro- Arkansas by-pass the master’s degree. gram to essentially its present state. The first Ph.D. degree in physics was granted The original physics Ph.D. program initiated in in 1964 under the direction of Dr. R. H. Hughes. 1959 was modeled principally after the University of Wisconsin plan since the principal Faculty Recruitment author was a recent Wisconsin graduate. The One significant potential advantage gained program initially made the Master of Science with the introduction of the Ph.D. program was degree an integral part of the Ph.D. program. the ability to interest better qualified young The M.S. degree was a serious research degree, Ph.D.s to apply for a position at Arkansas and to requiring a Master’s thesis. It was expected that retain some of the qualified physics faculty the student would take a written Master’s exam- already here. We had already lost Brenton ination at the end of the second semester of Stearns and Berol Robinson, two very competent graduate study. The student had two opportuni- young physicists! Dr. Stearns went to Tu f t s ties to pass the Master’s examination. University and Dr. Robinson went to Case- The student also had to pass a preliminary Western Reserve and eventually to UNESCO doctoral written and an oral examination as well (United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organiza- as his final dissertation oral. It was expected tion) in Paris, France. We lost Z. V. Harvalik to that the student would take the doctoral prelim- the Ft. Belvoir Army Research Center. We kept inary examination no later than the end of the R. H. Hughes and H. M. Schwartz. We kept Paul sixth semester of study. The student had two Sharrah; otherwise, he probably would have opportunities to pass the preliminary ex- moved to Oak Ridge permanently to do neutron amination also. diffraction re-search on structure and momen- The doctoral requirement included passing tum distribution studies! examinations in two foreign languages conduct- However faculty recruitment was still difficult ed by the respective language department. For because in the 1960’s there was a shortage of several decades in this century the science doc- applicants nationwide and the effort required to toral programs in the United States required a build up the faculty, as indicated above, was European language prominent in science and demanding, to say the least. One or two of the research. Thus students in physics studied f a c u l t y, Sharrah and sometimes Hughes, or German and French, and sometimes Italian and sometimes Schwartz, or Zinke would attend the sometimes Russian. The 1971 physics program national combined meeting of the American at the University of Arkansas required a reading Physical Society and the American Association of knowledge of German and French. Physics Teachers in New York every January. We But by the second half of the twentieth cen- would work continuously at the placement ser- tury physics and the other sciences had become vice room for the two or three days. stronger in the United States and most of the This was a very large and active meeting in relevant publications were in English. Thus the those days. This effort would be repeated foreign language requirements were being almost every spring at the American Ph y s i c a l relaxed. For a brief time, a computer language Society meeting in Washington, D. C. More than would be approved in place of one of the for- once the airplane fare and personal expenses

85 were the responsibility of the chairman; Michael Lieber. although we were usually reimbursed. To quote Interestingly enough, most of the above indi- one of the presidential candidates in 1992, “it viduals were employed as a result of information was a dirty job but someone had to do it.” obtained through other contacts not directly But even with this gallant effort we returned related to the APS placement service! S. M Day, more than once from one of these meetings with for example, applied from Rice University after not a single serious applicant. It wasn’t all per- Sharrah, almost belligerently on the telephone, fect! After returning to the campus, many let- asked the head of physics there, Prof. Bonner, if ters were written to they produced any physics Ph.D.’s with an inter- departments and to est in and appreciation of teaching! One earlier new Ph.D.s and many applicant from Rice had clearly come on the telephone calls were interview just for a free trip! made. Likely candi- The next ten years brought Carol J. Webb, D. dates were brought in O. Pederson, G. J. Salamo, Rajendra Gupta, for an interview and Claud H. Lacy, and P. W. Milonni. we always got at least Since 1980 the new one colloquium presen- faculty additions have been S. P. Singh, Larry S. tation from them! Merkle, Howard J. Carmichael, W. M. Harter, A. Even though there M. Hermann, Reeta Vyas, Z. Z. Sheng, Urbano frequently was a criti- Oseguera, Min Xiao, Julio Gea-Bana-cloche, cal need to hire more Charles E., Jones William F. Oliver III, J. Brad Shue, Gay Stewart, faculty to adequately employ-ed in 1962. and Mark E. Filipkowski. Dr. Michael Henry of man the teaching as Alabama A. & M. joined the faculty August, well as develop the doctoral program, there was 1995, and is doing research in optics. a sincere effort only to fill the positions with Thus the faculty has increased in size from physics faculty of promise. Sharrah tells how the typical number of three or four during the the teaching assignments were very much on the 1930’s up through the 1950’s to twelve in 1969 increase after the Korean War and the depart- and fifteen in 1993 and 18 in 1995. There were ment didn’t know how it would teach all the only five on the faculty in 1959, when the Ph.D. classes one January. A man with less than aver- program in physics was started, including one age credentials stood there in New York and who devoted all his time to teaching and direct- begged permission to ing the elementary laboratory! Some of this get on the train with information is summarized in the Appendices. him and come to Fayetteville to teach Graduate Students that January. That is The graduate student enrollment was to just the opposite con- increase also beginning in 1959 with the initia- dition now where many tion of the Ph.D. program in physics. During the inquiries and applica- early and middle 1950’s there would typically be tions from above aver- four or five graduate students pursuing a mas- age individuals result ter’s in physics at any given time. The number following the an- of graduate students in physics grew to over ten nouncement of an by the early 1960’s and continued to increase D r. Michael Henry initi- opening in physics. slowly to a total of twenty-four by 1981 and to ated a research program During the first ten over forty by 1995! in the fall of 1995. years of the Ph.D. pro- In the early years of the doctoral program, gram we hired, in fairly there would be at least three and as many as six rapid sequence, O. H. Zinke, G. T. Clayton, S. M. graduate students on one of the three fellow- D a y, C. E. Jones, A. S. Hob-son, C. B. ships described above. There would also be six Richardson, R. J. Anderson, F. T. Chan, and or eight teaching assistants and three or four on

86 research assistantships. tion of the Ph.D. bound graduate students in Sometimes the research and teaching assist- the United States come from the Universities. antship assignments were combined for students Teaching and Research Fields who expressed a strong desire to become teachers. Most of the graduate students on the NDEA D r. Ham continued his research in acoustics Title IV Fellowships served at least one year, until 1957. The research efforts listed below usually the last year, as classroom assistants. will not include the acoustics work of L. B. Ham They attended all of the lectures in one of the or the nuclear work of Berol Robinson or James large introductory sections, usually University Scobie or Matti Nurmia, because they had Physics, assisted in taking the attendance and retired or had moved on before the doctoral setting up some of the demonstrations, graded program in physics was started. A cosmic ray some of the papers, and made themselves avail- neutron research effort conducted by Paul C. able to substitute as lecturer in the course if Sharrah and H. M. Schwartz was initiated in needed. It was wonderful training for the grad- 1951 and concluded in 1953. Also the work of Z. uate students and greatly enhanced the V. Harvalik and Willard R. Bennett (“pinch management of these courses. A number of effect”) and Albert Sauer and Brent Stearns are these former graduate students have indeed not included because they came and went become successful teachers, an expressed goal before the Ph.D. program was initiated in 1959. of the early NDEA Title IV fellowship program. The doctoral research areas have included Most of the graduate students came from atomic spectra and isotope shifts, x-ray diffrac- smaller colleges. For many years they were the tion studies of liquids, proton excitation studies principal sources of Ph.D. bound students na- and lifetime measurements, laser optics and tionwide. This has been changing slowly during laser physics, laser spectroscopy, quantum the last few decades so that now the major por- optics, chaos, particle physics, plasma physics of exploding wires, theoretical work on atomic

UA professors visit Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., 1966. Left to right: Dennis Akhurst, head of electrical engineering; Melvin K. Anderson, electrical engineering; Paul C. Sharrah, physics chairman; a graduate student in electrical engineering; Otto H. Zinke, physics; and James R. Couper, chemical engineering.

87 and molecular structure, thermodynamics and optical studies of levitated microscopic particles, superconductivity, only to mention a few. The physics faculty have consistently received doctoral research support and major equipment grants throughout the years. While the department has never really been involved in “big science,” consistent “good physics” research has been in progress. The department throughout the years has received research support money from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Office of Naval Research, the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the Department of E n e r g y, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Arkansas Science and Teaching Authority. The department also received some financial support from the Baldwin Piano Company at a very critical time in the early stages of the doctoral program as well as research funding from the Southwest Electric Power Company. The remodeling and expansion R. H. Hughes and physics student Ted Donaldson with of the Dickson Street Physics Building in the Fabry-Perot interferometer used with Littrow spectrograph to study fine structure effects due to isotope 1990s was made possible, in a large part, by a shifts. Facilities Renovation grant by the National Science Foundation. There are certain other worthy activities not equipment grants were received from the Na- directly related to the doctoral research pro- tional Science Foundation, the Atomic Energy gram that should be mentioned. H. M. Schwartz Commission and the National Defense Education published a scholarly treatise on Re l a t i v i t y Act through proposals written by R. H. Hughes, Theory. A. S. Hobson received an advance from Carol Webb, Paul C. Sharrah, O. H. Zinke and the Macmillan Richard J. Anderson. Gregory J. Salamo, Publishing Company to Surendra Singh, Min Xiao, William F. Oliver III, assist with the writing and Gay Stewart have received grants in recent of a new text Ph y s i c s : years from the NSF in support of instructional Concepts and programs. Connections. A one- A review of the major doctoral research fields time grant was made by as they developed and the manpower involved the National Science will be presented below in approximate chrono- Foundation to Carol logical order of the development of the initial Webb to install a tele- project. scope in the Droke Also included are personal messages from present and recent faculty members describing George W. Ki r s c h , O b s e r v a t o r y. A one- their teaching and research interests. These research shop machinist time grant was made by was one of the signifi- the Atomic Energy “memos” preserve a little of each person’s cant assets to the Commission to Dr. O. H. style. Each quotation is printed with only minor physics research pro- Zinke for teaching editorial change except for some deleting of gram. He built numer- equipment in nuclear material covered elsewhere. ous items in the 1950s physics. Thus teaching The faculty talk about their teaching experi-

88 ences and other matters also in “memos” in “The Littrow spectrograph allowed Hughes to Chapters 5, 6, and 7 similar to the research and cross it with a large-aperture all-invar Fabry- teaching “memos” printed below. Certain other Perot interferometer for high resolution spec- selected letters and “memos” are included in troscopy. A study of isotope shifts in the medi- the earlier chapters. um weight elements began using separated iso- topes obtained from the Oak Ridge National Faculty Memos L a b o r a t o r y. Liquid-air cooled hollow cathode ATOMIC PHYSICS AT ARKANSAS discharge tubes were used. Federal support for Atomic Physics re- the effort came in the form of contracts from search at Arkansas began with the arrival of R. the Air Force Office of Scientific Re s e a r c h H. Hughes fresh out of the University of (AFOSR). The isotope shift work lead to Wisconsin graduate school in the Fall of 1954. construction of an atomic beam light source to He inherited a Hilger Littrow spectrograph reduce the Doppler width of the emission lines. located in the northeast corner of the basement “Hughes received a call in the late 50’s from ( Room 8). Nearly the entire east wing of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research asking if basement was devoted to chemistry and geology he could use $50,000 and if he could to write a quick proposal. He did write a proposal, of course. A study of the polarization of light produced by electron impact on gases was funded in 1959 as promised. Included in the proposal was a plan to detect the Lyman-alpha line of positronium, an idea suggested by Dr. C. Y. Fan when he was at Arkansas. A feasibility study was eventually made on the Lyman-alpha line with Dr. O. H. Zinke. “In the meantime Fan, who briefly joined the faculty from the University of Chicago in the late 50’s, wrote a proposal with Hughes as co- principal investigator to study auroral emissions produced by proton impact on atmospheric gases. The proposal was set to be funded in 1960 by the Air Force Cambridge Re s e a r c h Travis S. Walton (left) driving his boat at a Ph y s i c s Center (AFCRC). The funding papers were on Department picnic, ca 1965. the desk ready to be signed when the newly elected President Kennedy froze funds and at the time. The research services machine announced the United States intention to put a shop operated by George Kirsch, assisted by man on the moon. The proposal was funded the Leonard Gabbard, was located in Rooms 14 and next year with Hughes as the sole principal 15. Professor Berol Robinson of the Physics De- investigator since Fan had departed to go back partment occupied Room 9 as his office and lab- to the University of Chicago to continue his cos- oratory where he collaborated with chemist R. mic ray work. The AFCRC funding allowed the W. Fink in nuclear experiments. The desk in construction of an 0-120 kV positive ion acceler- Room 9 was previously used by W. R. (Pi n c h ator to begin at Research Services. The UA Effect) Bennett while he was here at Arkansas Research Services electronics specialist Tr a v i s for a short period of time (necessary to obtain a Walton did a masterful job of building the first divorce). of the two pasitineion accelerators used by The following “memo” prepared in 1993 by Hughes and his students for their significant Dr. R. H. Hughes, Emeritus University Professor, work in atomic collision studies. Chemistry and is a good summary of his research activities in Research Services had moved most of their atomic physics. activities out of the Physics building and the

89 geology department graciously gave up their use tors with standard optical lamps obtained from of Room 17 for housing the new accelerator. the National Bureau of Standards. Such stan- “While the first accelerator was being built, dard lamps were available for visible emissions spectroscopic work began using the 400-kV but not for the vacuum ultraviolet. A project chemistry machine. Mykola Saporoschenko, a was funded by NASA to develop a vacuum ultra- classmate of O. H. Zinke and a new faculty violet standard lamp using electron impact on member, helped in setting up the initial experi- metals and in particular using transition radia- ments. Dr. Saporoschenko’s tenure at Arkansas tion which should be calculable. The project was also brief. He wanted to get married but showed promise but was cut short by a NASA the town of Fayetteville offered little opportu- funding crunch. n i t y, since he hoped to marry a girl associated “At the same time a with the Russian Orthodox Church! Dr. proposal to develop a Saporoschenko was a native Russian and Dr. laser-generated multi- Schwartz was fluent in Russian but he often charged ion source was complained of Schwartz’s accent! funded by NSF Nuclear “The atomic research program was so suc- Physics. The idea was cessful that an expansion in the faculty was pro- to use a high-repeti- posed to Dean Adkisson of the Graduate School. tion high-power laser He agreed to the hiring of three faculty in the focused on a solid sur- field. Professor C. B. Richardson, and R. J. face to produce a hot Anderson were subsequently hired. The third plasma. R. J. appointment failed to materialize. Anderson became co- “NDEA Title IV funds given to W. R. Pendleton, principal investigator. Richard J. Anderson the first Ph.D. graduate (1964), allowed the con- “The Nd:YAG laser struction of a pulsed electron beam apparatus laboratory facility was used for the study of atomic excited state life- initially supported by the University. The labo- times. The technique produced several papers, ratory was also used by the Department to push later with R. J. Anderson. The technique was arguments toward the development of a laser also used by Lynn Hatfield to make the first pre- physics program. Professors Greg Salamo and cision measurement of Raj Gupta were hired. the Lamb shift in the n=4 level of He+. “The laser ion source progressed to the study “The positive-ion accelerator proved to be of multicharged ion impact on solid surfaces and the basis of many publications, theses, and dis- was supported by NSF Solid State Physics and sertations. The topics of research were so many NSF Atomic and Molecular Physics with D. O. that a second accelerator was built with NSF Pederson as co-principal investigator. funds. The 0-30 kV accelerator was used to pro- “This brings us up to the present Ph y s i c s duce fast neutral beams. A time-of-flight tech- Department renovation and the dismantling of nique was developed which allowed the mea- the ion source facility. Hughes retired in the surement of the population of fine structure Spring of 1990 as Emeritus University Professor. states in fast hydrogen atoms produced by elec- The above work provided many theses of both tron capture by proton impact on gases. The Master’s Degrees and Ph.D. degrees and earned technique also allowed the same type of mea- Hughes the Arkansas Alumni Blue Key award for surement in the excitation of ground state research in 1984. He served as Re s e a r c h hydrogen atoms by impact on gases. The above Director for 35 Master’s Degrees and 19 Ph. D. work was cited as the basis for the election of degrees. Support was provided by the Air Force Professor Hughes as a Fellow in the American Office of Scientific Research, Air Force Physical Society in 1968. Cambridge Research Center, NSF Atomic and “The measurements of absolute cross sections Molecular Physics, NASA, NSF Atmospheric for excitation by electron, ion, and neutral atom Physics, NSF Nuclear Physics and NSF Solid State impact required the calibration of optical detec- Physics.”

90 The above “memo” prepared by Dr. Raymond research interests in photo acoustic spec- H. Hughes in 1993 and edited March, 1995, troscopy and atomic collision processes. A sec- summarizes the development of the atomic ond successful collaboration was initiated by physics research program at Arkansas. Anderson. The Salamo-Anderson collaboration R. J. Anderson joined the faculty after receiv- continued after Anderson left the University to ing his Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma in join the staff of the National Science Founda- 1966. He was a student of Chun Lin, who not tion. In 1992 they worked together on joint pro- long afterward filled the vacancy on the faculty jects conducted at the U.S. Army Re s e a r c h of the University of Wisconsin resulting from the Laboratory (Ft. Belvoir, Virginia) under the death of Professor Julian Mack, R. H. Hughes’ direction of Dr. Ed Sharp. This most recent work major professor. Anderson and Hughes teamed is in the area of optical signal processing and together on several research ventures most photo refraction.” notably the development of a laser multicharged TEACHING-”In 1966 the normal teaching load ion source initially supported by the Nation in the Department was at least nine hours per Science Foundation Nuclear Physics division and semester. Anderson, like most new Ph.D.’s was later the NSF Solid State Physics division. assigned to teach a typical mixture of introduc- Anderson collaborated with G. J. Salamo on a tory and specialty courses. Throughout his grant from the Atmospheric Sciences division of tenure at the University Anderson demonstrated the NSF. Anderson became the director of the a strong interest in classroom teaching. Arts and Sciences Honor’s Program in 1983 and Innovation was a special interest of his that served to 1989, spending one-half time in manifested itself in various ways: class rocket physics. He has been working with the National launches from the lawn of Old Main; team Science Found-ation in Washington, D.C. since teaching of introductory courses; increased 1989. emphasis upon student composition skills; and Richard J. Anderson (1966-1989) describes his physics laboratory development. The latter led work in the following research and teaching to his service as Director of the Introductory memo dated January, 1993. He provides infor- Physics Laboratories. As Laboratory Director mation on Summer Institutes and Student Anderson instituted workshops for the graduate Science Camps in Chap-ter 6 and on the Honors laboratory instructors, introduced several new Program in Chapter 7. experiments into the curriculum, and supervised RESEARCH- ”In 1966 when Anderson joined the editing and publication of a Ph y s i c s the Physics faculty the Department had already Laboratory Manual. The manual was printed on- established a reputation for research in atomic campus and sold to each of the approximately collision physics. Professor Ray Hughes was 1,000 students enrolled in the laboratory cours- principal investigator on several federal grants es each year. Proceeds from the sale of the in this area and offered Anderson the opportu- manual were used by the department to estab- nity for collaboration on a series of experiments lish a Physics Scholarship Fund. in atomic lifetime measurements using time- “Anderson’s interest in physics education led resolved spectroscopy. Although Anderson sub- to a successful collaboration with Dr. Glen sequently received his own external support for Clayton in the early 1970s to develop an innova- atomic physics experiments from the Re s e a r c h tive Bachelor of Arts degree program for the Corporation and the Atmospheric Sciences Department. The B.A. curriculum involved new Section of the National Science Foundation approaches in both the classroom and the labo- (NSF), the Anderson-Hughes collaboration lasted ratory including emphasis upon the teaching of over twenty years in several areas including a acoustics and sound; practical electronics; opti- project in heavy-ion beam physics supported by cal physics and holography; and atomic and N S F ’s Nuclear Science Section. When Greg nuclear processes. The curriculum received Salamo, whose expertise was in laser physics wide-spread acceptance by students and recog- and non-linear optics, joined the faculty nition by the American Association of Ph y s i c s Anderson and Salamo discovered mutual Teachers (AAPT) national organization. It

91 attracted students who were interested in figured that one out either. I did stay! physics, but who did not want to be research “A stimulating period of research started in physicists and prepared them for careers in a 1951 when the Oak Ridge National Laboratory variety of areas (e.g. medicine, law, secondary division of metallurgy under my direction spon- teaching, business, and technical marketing and sored a new thrust into neutron diffraction stud- sales). In 1981 Anderson received the College of ies of liquid metals. This was based on the early Arts and Sciences Master Teacher award and the work of Zernicke and Prins and Debye and Menke Alumni Association Award for excellence in and later B. E. Warren of MIT and N. S. Gingrich teaching and research. His service on the edito- and his group of students at the University of rial board of the Physics Teacher magazine and Missouri. This was followed up by Kruh and the AAPT’s Committee on Physics in Higher Sharrah using an improved design of a diffrac- Education allowed the Department to gain input tometer based on the bent and ground salt crys- to the national debate on physics education.” tal used as a focusing monochromator. This Dr. Richard J. Anderson, January 1993. work was funded by the AEC and later by an NSF grant to Glen T. Clayton. X-RAY DIFFRACTION STUDIES - LIQUIDS “The next big quantum leap came when R. H. The following information was provided by Dr. Hughes and I negotiated the establishment of Paul Sharrah, March 1993. the Ph.D. program in physics in 1959. That and “The editor’s words are all through this docu- the other duties of the department, including ment but it is only fair that a brief statement much teaching, was to be my interest for my about his teaching and research activities in the twelve years as physics department chairman! department is in order. The first of two teach- “ Teaching laboratory demonstrations in NSF ing challenges I faced in the 1940’s was to teach institutes and the directing of AEC/NSF insti- an atomic physics course (Pittsburgh Staff text) tutes for high school teachers of chemistry and to about eight or ten chemistry and physics stu- physics and NSF institutes for JrHS teachers dents. The second teaching challenge was the were stimulating and productive activities. organizing and teaching of an x-ray course. This Giving guest lectures on physics demonstrations course met the needs of the pre-medical stu- at William Jewell dents and included a third lecture each week College, Howard emphasizing x-ray diffraction theory. The third Payne College and the lecture part of the course was used by the University of Tu l s a chemistry and physics majors. By the late was also interesting 1 9 4 0 ’s the three-hour x-ray course was re- and productive. designed to be used for the chemistry and “A particular excit- physics majors only. ing experience was “I was always the teacher most likely to get the activating and the overload. management of the Someone in authority small but very useful announced in the late Spitz planetarium 1 9 4 0 ’s that Sharrah with the twenty foot would never amount dome. The students O. H. Zinke (1959-1988) to anything because and I made it a great he was too good at success with the public and school groups and teaching! In a slightly the University students. Lisa Lovett, Eliot Neel, more friendly vein Dianne McGuffy, Nancy Watson, and several someone else said other students did much work there. that Sharrah was too “I was retired in 1982 and taught part time good for the for three years and worked as an advisor one Glen T. Clayton University and would- semester for the College of Arts and Sciences. I (1959-1971) n’t stay! I haven’t am sitting here looking out the back window of

92 my office at home typing this on a Macintosh computer. “It has been an “invigorating Ozark experience”. Thanks to everyone who has made this trip such a pleasure. I have many fond memories of students and faculty and also the towns- people here!” Paul C. Sharrah, March 9, 1993. Quoting from the Physics Department Newsletter-Spring 1994, “But from the research point of view, Sharrah’s two main accomplishments both related to the study of liquids. Working first in the summer of 1951 at the metallurgy division and later with the chemistry Stephan M. Day, second chairman (1969-1975) seen in division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, his NMR laboratory, Room 108, ca 1968. some interesting work was done on neutron diffraction studies of molten lead and bismuth Professor O. H. Zinke came to the University alloys using the original graphite reactor there. in 1959 from the University of Missouri, where “Then Sharrah, with Dr. R. F. Kruh of chem- he was a faculty member. He had also been as- istry, built in physics in 1956 an AEC sponsored sociated with the Linde Company in Ro c h e s t e r, x-ray diffraction facility for the study of liquids. New York, before joining the faculty at the This machine was the center of research per- University of Missouri. He first collaborated formed by several students for master and Ph.D. with R. H. Hughes who had a contract with the degrees, and was much used by Dr. Glen T. Air Force Office of Scientific Research that Clayton and his students on grants from the included a feasibility study of producing excited National Science Foundation. This x-ray states of positronium through charge exchange machine and a similar unit built at Oak Ridge reactions when positrons pass through gases. He were the first to make use of a bent and ground invented a magnetic bridge that he worked with crystal focusing monochromator. The idea came off and on during his tenure at Arkansas. He to Sharrah when he was studying with Professor had support for a study of plasmas produced by Newell S. Gingrich at the University of Missouri. exploding wires. He took a 3-year leave of ab- This made it possible to study the diffracted x- sence from his teaching duties to do a state and rays from the surface of a flat sample, and was world energy study while on campus, financed especially good for studying liquid metals. It by the Ford Foundation. also had the considerable advantage of eliminat- The following is ex-tracted from material sup- ing any contribution to the diffracted radiation plied by Dr. O. H. Zinke, January 1993. of the useless incoherent Compton scattered x- “Zinke did rays.” research on a Glen T. Clayton was an undergraduate and variety of topics. graduate student here on campus and did his His work in grad- Ph.D. work at the University of Missouri under uate school was Gingrich, who was also Paul Sharrah’s mentor. on Auger elec- Glen first collaborated with Paul and Bob Kruh in trons. He devel- this study of x-ray diffraction from liquid sur- oped and per- faces. He directed several Ph.D. and Master’s fected a tech- theses before leaving Arkansas in the 70’s to be nique for mea- a Dean at Stephen F. Austin University in Texas. suring the tem- He had a short but successful tenure until his perature of posi- untimely death there. tive ions from Charles B. Richarsdson in his h i g h - t e m p e r a t u r e l a b o r a t o r y, ca 1970. He was PLASMA PHYSICS - EXPLODING WIRES pulsed plasmas third chairman (1975-1978).

93 using exploding wire techniques. In conjunction department chairman before stepping up to be- with a course he was teaching on physical tech- come Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences at niques in archeology, he found and tested a way Arkansas and Dean of Arts and Sciences at Miami to apply alpha-recoil technique to determine University in Ohio in 1983. the time of firing of primitive ceramics. The AC magnetic bridge was used to make measure- ATOMIC PHYSICS - SMALL PARTICLES ments on the heat diffusivities of foils. He C. B. Richardson came to Arkansas faculty in formed a company in 1988 called International 1966 after serving as a post-doctoral fellow in Validators, Inc. to make use of the AC bridge for the laboratory of Professor Hans Dehmelt at the nondestructive testing of metals. This work University of Washington. Professor Dehmelt in continues largely in collaboration with William F. 1990 became a Nobel Prize winner for his ion- Schmidt, chair of the Department of Mechanical electron trap research. Dr. Richardson has con- Engineering. tinued to use the rf trap principle putting it to a “In addition to teaching several courses at the novel use. A system has been developed so that elementary and intermediate level, Zinke taught chemical reactions and other changes taking junior-senior and graduate level courses in elec- place in trapped submicroscopic particles can be tronics, electromagnetic theory, mechanics, observed. Mie scattering from a laser beam is thermodynamics, kinetic theory, statistical used to measure size changes on the trapped mechanics, nuclear physics, reactor physics, and particle. starting in 1960 a one-year course in modern The following material was provided by Dr. physics based on the Leighton text. Charles B. Richardson January 1993. “In conjunction with the nuclear physics “Since 1980 graduate students and I have course, he obtained a grant from the Atomic used the technique of single particle levitation Energy Commission which provided nuclear to study various thermodynamic and optical equipment and a subcritical nuclear reactor. properties. This work has been supported by This reactor was transferred to Mechanical grants from the National Science Foundation Engineering a few years later. Atmospheric Sciences Division, and its principal “In the 1960’s supplementary material was thrust has been the investigation of the dynam- introduced into the physical science course ics of sulfate and nitrate particles because of emphasizing energy and society. A junior-level their prevalence in the atmosphere. course was also introduced with this same “This dynamics includes evaporation and the name. This led to an active participation with interaction with water vapor, both of which the government of Arkansas on energy plans and affect the transport of such particles from decisions, and active involvement with the sources such as urban areas. G o v e r n o r’s energy forum and the Southern “ Related investigations include the study of Regional Energy Board.”-Dr. O. H. Zinke, phase changes in microscopic particles and the January 1993. mechanical stability of highly charged liquid droplets. NUCLEAR MAGNETIC “Thirteen papers have been published from RESONANCE the results of these studies, including two co- S. M. Day came to authored by collaborations at Brookhaven Na- Arkansas from Rice tional Laboratory and the Naval Re s e a r c h University in 1961. Laboratory. He built a research “Almost continuously during my years at program in Nuclear Arkansas I have taught the Modern Ph y s i c s magnetic Re s o n a n c e Laboratory. During the late sixties when I began funded by the this assignment the laboratory was largely National Science shaped by the Summer Institutes for high school Foundation. He F. T. Chan, theoretical teachers, a lively and valuable program funded served two terms as and experimental work. by the Atomic Energy Commission and the

94 National Science Foundation. Later influences include the Berkeley Physics Laboratory and the Apparatus Drawing Project of the AAPT. Over the years the laboratory when taken by the graduate students has included experiments of a project nature including the Zeeman Effect, the Mossbauer Effect, Raman Scattering, X-ray S p e c t r o s c o p y, and the Pr o t o n Omegatron Effect. “In its present form the laboratory consists of eight experiments including proton nmr, the Faraday Effect, Thomson electron specific charge measurement, gamma ray spec- Michael Lieber joined the department of physics in 1970. He served as the fifth chairman from 1983 to 1986 and he served as t r o s c o p y, the Franck Hertz ex- vice chairman from 1992 onward. Photograph ca 1985. periment, high resolution optical spec- t r o s c o p y, radioactivity and the range of alpha played a central role in the early formulation particles, and thermionic emission. The labora- and development of quantum mechanics and is tory is taken by about twenty five students now part of the standard curriculum in modern annually, both undergraduate and graduate stu- undergraduate physics. dents.” Dr. Charles B. Richardson, January If the motion of the electron around the 1993, edited February, 1995. nucleus is constrained in a plane by certain boundary conditions, then such a system is THEORETICAL PHYSICS called the two-dimensional hydrogen atom. The F. T. Chan came to the motion of electrons confined to two dimensions University in 1969. He has been of great interest in recent years, in received his Ph.D. degree part because of applications to such systems as from the University of high-Tc superconductors. Recently, we have car- California at San Diego in ried a thorough study of the two-dimensional 1967 under the tutelage hydrogen atom (Phys. Re v. A43, 1186 & 1197 of Dr. Keith Brueckner (1991)). In particular, we derived the exact and served on a postdoc- analytic solution for the eigen energy and wave Michael Lieber toral assignment at function, both with and without the Chern-Si- Cornell University from mons field. We plan to study the effect of the 1967 to 1969. Dr. Chan’s transition rates, dc Stark effect, Zeeman interest at the time was theoretical atomic effect,.... We also plan to study the two-dimen- physics, such as two photon emission. Later he sional Lamb shift problem. collaborated with Dr. Michael Lieber in the study “We currently use laser ablation to fabricate of atomic collisions, verifying some of the excit- high-Tc superconductors Y-based and TI-based as ed state measurements done in the atomic colli- well as dielectric thin films. A high-intensity sion laboratory of R. H. Hughes. He is currently laser beam is directed onto a bulk target (super- interested in superconductivity and is directing conductor or dielectric) causing an ablative some experimental work. spray of target material which then deposits Dr. Chan describes some of his research inter- onto a substrate (single crystal or amorphous). ests in a one-page document he prepared in The advantage of the technique (which is simple 1994 for posting on a bulletin board in the to switch from one target to another within a physics building. single chamber) is that the target stoichiometry “The three-dimensional (3D) hydrogen atom is replicated in the deposited films. We have

95 courses. These include Elementary Pa r t i c l e s , Plasma Physics, and Advanced Quantum Theory, all courses he developed. A flier prepared in 1994 describes some of his current research interests. “My research has covered many areas in theoretical and mathematical physics, but the pri- mary area have been quantum electro-dynamics, elementary particles and scattering t h e o r y, the latter with an emphasis on three- body problems with applications in atomic physics. D. O. Pederson, fourth chairman of physics (1978- “The three-body problem is famous in both 83), later associate dean of Fulbright College and classical and quantum mechanics, but my currently vice chancellor for academic affairs with R. research has concentrated on the quantum case. J. Anderson (right) director of Fulbright College In recent years I have been interested in an Honors Program, and currently at NSF section for Research Initiative and Development. Photo ca 1980. anomalous situation with regard to so-called “capture” reactions, in which an energetic pro- received our large stainless chamber containing jectile captures a particle from a composite tar- an ion gun and a rotating six-target holder and a get, e. g. A + (BC) —>> (AB) + C. An example high powered excimer laser a few months ago. from atomic physics would be a proton projec- These state of the art equipment will allow us tile capturing an electron from a target atom, to fabricate larger and more uniform films in a emerging as a neutral hydrogen atom and leav- much cleaner environment. I addition to the ing behind a recoiling positively charged ion. search for new materials, we will carry out re- These processes are very fundamental, and search, characterization, and development of experiments studying them are done in many new superconducting thin films for use in high laboratories around the world. Unfortunately, density electronics. In particular, using the the theory, even when pure coulomb potentials laser ablation technique we plan to fabricate are used (especially when pure Coulomb poten- single (HTSC)- and tri (HTSC-dielectric-HTSC)- tials are used!) proves to be extremely difficult layer samples. The dielectric could be MgO, and many approximate techniques have been L a A I O3, CeO2 and SAT, a new material devel- developed. One of these, the Born ap- o p e d proximation usually works well in collision prob- by Penn State. Physical properties of the fabri- lems at high energies. But in capture processes cated it fails badly. This failure can be traced to a films will be studied extensively.” classical restriction, that capture is impossible D r. Michael Lieber came to the University in with only a single collision, because of the 1970 after receiving his Ph.D. degree from necessity of conserving both energy and momen- Harvard, working with Nobel Laureate Julian tum. Rather, we must have a sequence of at S c h w i n g e r, and three years of post-doctoral least two collisions, e.g. A collides with B, rais- research at New York University. Prior to receiving B to the proper energy for capture but moving this Ph.D., he had served as Chief of ing in the wrong direction. B then collides with Scientific Problems for a large aerospace compa- C, changing its direction so as to permit capture ny, and before that he had been in on the early by A. Recently, I have discovered that for cer- development of computers, working at IBM to tain masses of the three particles, this double develop the FORTRAN computer language. collision scenario is also kinematically forbid- Immediately upon his arrival in Fayetteville, he den. I am currently studying the possibility of took up heavy responsibilities in teaching. In capture when the masses lie in these regions by addition to carrying his load with the beginning means of triple collisions. courses, he has taught numerous upper level “Another three-body process with which I

96 have been working is collaboration with Professor Hughes. the so-called “A time-of-flight (TOF) technique has been “breakup” process: A + used to measure the remnant charge of laser- (BC) —>> A + B + C, i. p r o d u c e d e. all three particles pulses of multicharged Ck+ (k = 1 to 4), Alm+ (m move away freely. = These processes, which 3 to 6), and Pbn+ (n = 2 to 6) ions incident on a include the important clean amorphous Au surface under UHV condi- atomic problem of ion- tions at various scattering angles. For all angles ization by charged par- considered, C and Pb were found to be com- ticle impact, have par- pletely neutralized after scattering from the Au ticularly interesting surface. The remnant singly charged state of William F. Oliver joined behavior when one pair Al, however, was detected in all instances in the faculty in 1992. of particles emerge addition to neutral Al atoms with charged frac- with nearly the same tion being ~ 60%. v e l o c i t y. In any event, my research involves Detailed charge improving methods of calculation of ionization fractions were probabilities at high energies.” determined for D r. Lieber served as department chairman incident Alz + (z = from 1983 to 1986, and as vice chairman from 3 to 1992 to date. He served as president of the 5) with energies local chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and on numer- 400 eV/z. The ous departmental, college, and University-wide results obtained committees. f o r SOLID STATE AND various incoming CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS angles could be fit Dr. D. O. Pederson came in 1972 after having to the expected been granted the Ph.D. from Rice University in form of a decaying 1971. Dr. Pederson spent a year and a half on a exponential. The Mark E. Filipkowski, em- post-doctoral at Texas Tech in 1971-72. He has charge fractions ployed 1994. contributed to the solid state physics work and showed a depen- laser work of the department. He served as de- dence on the outgoing path while being inde- partment chairman from 1978 to 1983. He also pendent of the incoming path. Although the characteristic velocity for a particular has served as Associate Dean 1983-85, Associate z+ Vice Chancellor (and chief academic officer) incident Al charge state (hence constant ener- 1985-86 and as Vice Chancellor for Academic g y Affairs 1986 to present. He always kept a foot determined by an electrostatic analyzer) was found to be constant, the inclusive case for all in the physics depart- three aluminum incident charge states required ment, however, carrying an energy-dependent characteristic velocity in on research in solid order to obtain a reasonable fit for the remnant state physics which charge fraction as a function of a decaying included collaborative exponential. The results are interpreted to be efforts with R. H. indicative of the importance of the ground state Hughes and G. J. energy level of the projectile as compared to Salamo. the Fermi level of the metal and how it evolves Professor D. O. close to the metal surface as well as the impor- Pederson describes cer- tance of the distance of closest approach of the tain aspects of his re- Larry S. Merkle (1983- projectile to the metal first atomic layer.” End search interests in mate- 89). Went to U.S. of D. O. Pederson material prepared in 1994. rials prepared in 1994 in Army Night Vi s i o n The following paragraph prepared by D. O La b o r a t o r y . 97 Pederson in 1994 describes research interests in the condensed matter program. “Experimental work in the field of condensed matter physics is focused on ultrasonics on ionic solids, solid electrolytes, and high temperature superconductors; on the development of new high temperature superconductors; and on studies of the optical properties of solid electrolytes and nonlinear optical materials. The ultrasonic work consists of sound velocity and attenuation measurements as a function of temperature in a variety of materials. The optical properties of materials are measured as a function of temper- Gregory J. Salamo joined the faculty in 1975. ature using laser interferometric techniques in a variety of materials. The fundamental proper- of relative humidity and high-pressure laser light ties of materials can be obtained from these scattering studies of liquid glass-forming systems measurements including the elastic constants and amorphous materials. Currently a research for single crystals and the sound moduli for poly- laboratory is being set up here for tandem crystalline materials, anisotropic properties and Brillouin spectroscopy at high and low tempera- activation energies of defects, the supercon- tures and high pressure. Eighteen articles and ducting transition temperature and its variation two book chapters have been written to date with pressure for high temperature super- and he has presented research at several confer- conductors, and the coefficient of thermal ences both within the United States and abroad. expansion and the thermo-optic coefficients for “Since joining the faculty in August 1992, I optical materials.” End of D. O. Pederson para- have taught Advanced Modern Physics to a class graph describing some of the research interests of twelve and a graduate level Solid State of the department, dated 1994. Physics course. A research proposal to the The following short resume of his work and Arkansas Science and Technology Authority enti- interests was submitted by Dr. William F. Oliver tled, High Pressure Brillouin Scattering in III dated January 1993. Condensed Matter Systems at High and Low “ William F. Oliver III, an experimental con- Tempera-tures was awarded a grant of $50,000 densed matter physicist, was added to the facul- in January 1993.” Dr. William F. Oliver, III, Jan. ty during the fall of 1992. Dr. Oliver received his 19 9 3 . ba c h e l o r ’s degree in physics from the University L. K. Merkle came to Arkansas from Oklahoma of Arizona before going to the University of State University in 1983. His research interest Colorado in Boulder, where he received both an was optical damage mechanisms produced by M.S. and a Ph.D. degree in condensed matter laser interaction on solids. He received a grant physics. His Ph.D. research involved Brillouin from the State to pursue this work. He was light scattering, dielectric and nonlinear optical deeply involved in the operation of the student investigations of incommensurate, ferroelectric, activities and served as editor of the physics and ferroelastic phase transitions. After com- department Newsletter. He left after seven pleting the Ph.D. degree he took a post doctoral years to work at Fort Belvoir, Va. position at Arizona State University where he Mark E. Filipkowski joined the physics depart- continued his studies of low temperature incom- ment Fall 1994 and describes his field of mensurate phases via neutron scattering, which research interest in the material below received was performed at the Los Alamos Neutron March, 1995. Scattering Center (LANSCE). As a post-doctoral “With the development of techniques for pro- research fellow he was also involved in Brillouin ducing materials not found in nature, many new scattering studies of conformational transforma- and exciting phenomena have become available tions in wet-spun biopolymer films as a function

98 for study in the field of condensed matter be explored through the use of sophisticated ex- physics. The latter is that subdiscipline of perimental techniques, such as SQUID- physics devoted to the study of condensed sys- (Supercon-ducting Quantum Interference tems, such as liquids and solids. The investiga- Device) based mag-netometry and susceptome- tion of novel man made materials has resulted try, nuclear magnetic resonance, and spin-polar- in the discovery of “new physics” of interest to ized transport. In addition, an extremely prof- the general scientific community, and has the itable set of interdisciplinary experiments potential for the creation of new technologies. becomes possible at the University of Arkansas “A significant part of the study of condensed through combined efforts with optical laborato- systems involves the examination of magnetic ries within the Department of Physics. These effects. These may range from the influence of experiments will be devoted to understanding the magnetic moment of the helium nucleus on the time dependence of magnetic phenomena the material phases of liquid helium, to improv- using fast optical techniques, and investigation ing the properties of permanent magnets. An of the coupling of magnetic layers through non- example of an important class of new, man- magnetic layers using the method of Brioullin made magnetic materials consists of layered light scattering. structures, in which “Since coming to work at the University of ultrathin layers of Arkansas I have taught a two-semester course in magnetic metals (e.g. advanced modern physics” Fe) are sandwiched This concludes the report provided by Mark E. with nonmagnetic Filipkowski March, metals (e.g. Al, thus, 1995, and revised May Fe/Al/Fe). Ultrathin 1995. refers to thicknesses of the order of sever- NONLINEAR OPTICS AND al angstroms, or only LASER SPECTROSCOPY a few atoms thick. Dr. G. J. Salamo joined Rajendra Gupta employed “New physics the physics department 1978. He was seventh becomes possible in faculty in 1975 and chairman (1989-1995) and such systems due to immediately estab- obtained funds for 1992- the creation within Peter Milonni (1982- lished himself as a 94 building expansion. the nonmagnetic 1989). Continues signifi- competent teacher and metal of a magnetic cant work at Los Alamos r e s e a r c h e r. Unfortu- polarization induced by the adjacent magnetic Scientific Laboratories. nately the University in metal. The properties of the nonmagnetic the 1970's provided metal are thus perturbed in a way heretofore only a few thousand dollars of start up funds so impossible. A complete picture of how this that Salamo actually was able to get started on polarization comes about, and the nature and his work through the graciousness of Dr. R. H. extent of its influence on the properties of the Hughes and Dr. R. J. Anderson. He used their nonmagnetic metal are subjects of an extremely equipment for his first work in the summer of active area of experimental and theoretical 1975. He also has served the University commu- physics. nity as director of the College honors program “The goal of my laboratory will be to under- for the year 1985-86. stand the fundamental physical principles which Dr. Rajendra Gupta came to the University of govern the behavior of layered and other novel Arkansas from a faculty position at Columbia magnetic systems. In this way we will con- University where he was doing research in atom- tribute to the growth of knowledge in con- ic laser-spectroscopy. He was co-principal densed matter physics, and help to lay the investigator with G. J. Salamo (principal ground work for future technological advances. investigator) on an NSF EPSCoR grant which gave “The physics of novel magnetic materials will impetus to the initial laser research at the

99 U n i v e r s i t y. Dr. Gupta “The second area of teaching activity has rendered valuable been the development of a laser physics course. service to the depart- In this course we try to make the physics princi- ment as chairman of ples of lasers clear by presenting both a lecture its Graduate Affair’s and a “hands-on” laboratory component. Committee before Concepts discussed in lecture take on more becoming department meaning when the student “touches” them in chairman in 1989. His the laboratory. The course is designed to give yeoman efforts in students specific skills in the design, construc- obtaining funds for tion and application of lasers.” Dr. Gregory J. the renovation and Salamo, February, 1993. expansion of the The following material was provided by Dr. Surendra P. Singh, em- physics building are Rajendra Gupta March 1993. ployed 1982. Eighth chair- appreciated by all. “I am carrying out investigation of photother- man, 1995. The following mal spectroscopy and its various applications. “memos” serve to The underlying idea behind photothermal spec- describe Salamo’s and Gupta’s work very well. troscopy is to create a change in the refractive The following material was submitted by Dr. index of the medium by the absorption of a laser Gregory J. Salamo dated February, 1993. beam (pump beam) and to probe this change by “My research is presently in two areas. The another laser beam (probe beam). There are first is the study of the use of lasers to store several ways in which the refractive index information in crystals while the second is the change can be measured. For example, the search for the answer to the question “what is refractive index change produces a change in light?” the optical path length which can be detected “To store images in crystals we impress on a as a fringe shift if the sample is placed inside a laser beam an image. The laser light is then F a b r y - Perot cavity or in one arm of the directed into the crystal and an image is stored. Michelson interferometer. In general, the Our research is particularly concerned with refractive index change is nonuniform, therefore developing the ability to store many images it can deflect a probe beam. The deflection is q u i c k l y, and to recall them when wanted. To proportional to the gradient of the refractive date, we can store 1,000 images taking about 1 index. Moreover, if the second derivative of the millisecond to store or read each one. refractive index is nonzero, the medium acts “One way to explore the nature of light is to like a lens and probe beam is focused or defo- study its interaction with simple atoms. When cused. All of these effects are being investigat- laser light interacts with an atom its response ed under varied conditions. The theoretical reveals some of the characteristics of light. In part of the work is being carried out by our research we examine both the behavior of Professor Reeta Vyas. the atom and the laser light during the interac- “Our interest in these techniques is stimulat- tion. By comparing the observed behavior with ed by many and varied applications of the tech- a model we learn how to answer the question niques. One such application, which we have “what is light?” investigated a few years ago, is combustion “My effort in teaching has been devoted to diagnostics. These techniques can be used to two areas. The first is the area of a course measure minority species concentrations, local called Physics for Architects. This course was temperatures, and flow velocities in combustion developed in order to give architects a better environments without perturbing the envi- understanding of the role physics principles can ronment. Another possible application is the play in their ability and creativity as architects. micromanipulation of optical beams. The course has both a lecture and laboratory “As noted above, the photothermal effect can component and both revolve around demon- be used to introduce phase shifts, deflect a strating the “physics” in architecture. beam, and focus or defocus a beam. In terms of

100 ordinary optical elements, this is equivalent to, not have an office during the first year and it r e s p e c t i v e l y, a glass slab, a prism, and a lens. would be almost two years before I had a labo- The lens can be spherical, cylindrical, astigmat- ratory of my own. But by the end of my third ic, converging, or diverging. Thus, the pho- year we were getting experimental results. This tothermal effect can be used to manipulate was made possible by a Joseph H. DeFrees grant optical beams in situations where ordinary opti- from Research Corporation and some matching cal elements are impractical. money from the university. The first experi- “Our present interest is to study the proper- ments involved studies of build up of laser light ties of GaAs quantum-well structures using these from quantum noise near threshold and tricriti- techniques.” Dr. Rajendra Gupta, March 1993. cal behavior in lasers with saturable absor-bers. I consider these to be our two most useful con- QUANTUM OPTICS tributions of this period. We also carried out Peter Milonni, a theoretician, came to the some important and neat experiments investi- University from Perkin-Elmer Corporation in gating the effects of external noise in lasers. 1980, having received his Ph.D. from the Univer- This was a topic of considerable interest at that sity of Rochester. His publication rate was phe- time. Success with these experiments brought nomenal, often averaging over one per month. funding from a grudging program director at the He became the center for a push in quantum National Science Found-ation, who thought optics. His presence quickly resulted in the hir- funding research at Arkansas was a waste of ing of Howard Carmichael and then Surendra money. Singh in the field of quantum optics. Dr. “Currently, we are studying nonlinear dynam- Carmichael specialized in theory and Dr. Singh ics and quantum and classical effects in a vari- worked in both experimental and theory aspects ety of systems in quantum optics. These include of the program. When all three were here lasers and parametric processes such as optical Arkansas was considered by many to be a center second harmonic generation and frequency of quantum optics. Dr. Milonni was also instru- downconversion. In nonlinear dynamics we have mental in bringing Dr. W. G. Harter to Arkansas. been studying the temporal response of class-B Dr. Milonni joined the Los Alamos Scientific labo- lasers when either the pump or the loss of the ratories in 1989. laser is modulated. Such systems are capable of Dr. S. P. Singh joined the physics department exhibiting an interesting sequence of bifurca- in 1982. In addition to his research and teach- tions involving transitions between multiple ing described below, steady-states, oscillatory states and even chaot- he has served as edi- ic states depending on the depth and frequency tor of the physics of modulation and the number of modes in the department newslet- l a s e r. Experimental investigations are focused ter. on studies of antiphase states, generation of The following is complex waveforms under controlled external extracted from mate- perturbations in a multimode Ti-sapphire laser. rial provided by Dr. These studies have potential applications in Surendra Singh dated laser light pulse crafting. For example, wave- January 1993. forms containing time-delayed pulses of differ- R e s e a r c h : “I joined ent frequencies could be used in state selective Howard J. Carmichael the department as an time resolved studies of atomic and molecular (1983-89). To University Assistant Pr o f e s s o r dynamics. of Oregon. immediately after “In parallel with our work on nonlinear graduating from the dynamics we have been studying coherence University of Rochester in 1982. I began my properties of photon beams generated in nonlin- tenure here by setting up a laboratory to study ear optical processes. We have recently demon- instabilities and fluctuations in lasers and non- strated how second harmonic generation can be linear optics. The beginning was difficult. I did used to probe correlations of photon beams. In

101 the process of frequency downconversion highly level courses have been elective courses. These correlated photon pairs are produced. These include Laser Physics (PHYS-5613) and Optical correlated photons pairs offer some intriguing Coherence Theory (PHYS-6623) and Applied possibilities. Current theoretical interest, in Nonlinear Optics (PHYS- 5633). The course on collaboration with R. Vyas, is focused on non- laser theory dealt with basic theory of laser classical effects such as photon antibunching, action, resonator design, propagation of laser s u b - Poissonian statistics and squeezing in sec- beams, and different lasers systems. The ond/sub harmonic generation. Experimental course on Optical Coherence Theory dealt with work to observations photon number oscillations classical and quantum theories of optical coher- in the counting distribution, nonclassical inten- ence, temporal and spatial coherence, stochas- sity correlations in the homodyne detection tic processes, interference and diffraction with of light, and Sub-Poissonian photon statistics in fluctuating fields, and image processing. progress. The results of these experiments can Applied Nonlinear Optics dealt with nonlinear only be understood quantum mechanically. interaction of light with matter, harmonic gen- Other exciting experiments with these systems eration, phase conjugation, photorefraction, include preparation of single-photon states and spontaneous and stimulated Raman and Brillouin studies of their interaction with matter. scattering. A special topics course on Classical “We are using a variety of techniques relying and Quantum Statistical Methods in Quantum on fast photon counting and correlation equip- Optics was taught in collaboration with H. J. ment in these experiments. Nonlinear crystals, Carmichael (now at U. Oregon). This course carefully designed optical cavities, He:Ne lasers, dealt with methods and applications of classical Ar-ion lasers, a Ti-Sapphire laser, a diode laser, and quantum mechanics to describe the statisti- transient digitizers, fast photomultipliers, and a cal properties of the optical field. Similarities host of other electronic instruments interfaced and differences between classical and quantum to two personal computers are available for descriptions were also discussed. “ Dr. Surendra these experiments. Singh, January 1993.” “ Work described here was initiated by a The following informative “memo” was Joseph H. DeFrees grant from Re s e a r c h received from Professor Howard Carmichael in Corporation and has been supported by grants April 1994. It presents a good description of his from the National Science Foundation over the work at Arkansas before taking up his new posi- past ten years.” tion at the University of Oregon in 1989. Te a c h i n g : “Since joining the department in “I began work as an Assistant Professor at the 1982 I have taught a variety of courses. At the University of Ark-ansas in January of 1983. At undergraduate level I have taught both large this time theoretical work in quantum optics was and small sections of University Physics I and II quite heavily focused on dynamical instabilities (PHYS- 2053 and 2073) several times. More and chaos in nonlinear optics. The field had recently, I have taught University Physics I and II grown out of the for the honors students. Other undergraduate extensive work done courses that I have taught include Electricity on optical bistability and Magnetism (PHYS - 3414 ) and Optics (PHYS- during the late 1970’s 3544). The course in Optics has a laboratory and early 1980’s, and associated with it. This is one of our more popu- was coupled to the lar undergraduate courses at the senior level. ever increasing ac- In collaboration with G. J. Salamo, I am in the tivity in the area of processes of modernizing and revising under- nonlinear dynamics, graduate optics laboratory with the help of a both in mathematics grant from the National Science Foundation. and physics, during “At the graduate level I have taught the same period. I Electricity and Magnetism (PHYS - 5313 and Reeta Vyas, employed full continued working in 5323) for a number of years. Other graduate time 1989. this area for my first

102 two years at Arkansas and published what I think sentation was not the answer I wanted because was my most useful contribution to the field dur- the representation had technical pitfalls pre- ing this time, showing how symmetries in a lin- cisely in the large noise regime where it was ear stability analysis connect predictions about most needed. Nevertheless, this had its own optical bistability to a large family of multimode benefits. It defined a new area of study; under- instabilities in passive nonlinear interferometers. standing the problems with the positive P repre- I was awarded a Research corporation grant, and sentation. later a National Science Foundation grant, “The direction defined by these developments together with Peter Milonni, for research in the occupied me for the next four years until I left area of optical bistability, dynamical in- the University of Arkansas in the fall of 1989. A stabilities, and chaos. number of things were added to the mix. “My interest in these nonlinear dynamics Squeezed light became the hot topic in quantum directions waned, however, as I realized that optics. Since squeezing is concerned with quan- the mathematics was perhaps more interesting tum fluctuations I naturally became involved than the physics. I wanted to be doing things with this subject. My main contribution in this where the physics was central. Following a area was to analyze the theory of photoelectric summer appointment at the Royal Signals and counting as it applies to the method of homo- Radar Establishment in Malvern, England, and a dyne detection based on normal-ordering of Visiting Lectureship at the University of Texas at quantum field operators. This began an interest Austin, both in 1984, I began concentrating in photoelectric detection and its relationship to more on questions related to the quantum fluc- the quantum measurement problem which has tuations in optical bistability and related sys- continued as a theme in my work right up until tems. The quantum mechanics of optical sys- the present time. The work on homodyne tems had been my principal interest prior to my detection was followed a little later by work, in excursion into nonlinear dynamics, and this sub- collaboration with Surendra Singh and Re e t a ject had never moved very far from the center Vyas, on photon counting distributions in reso- of my thinking. I became interested in two nance fluorescence. These two studies eventu- related issues. My colleague Jeff Kimble at the ally developed into quantum trajectory theory, a University of Texas at Austin and I began think- method for treating ing about ways of making the quantum effects in open quantum optical optical bistability large so that they might be systems using stochastic observed in the laboratory. The answer to this wavefunctions. The question turned out to be rather obvious; one earliest version of this makes the physical system small so that the theory took form during nonlinear physics can happen with just a few 1989, just before I left atoms and photons around. For me, the theo- the University of rist, this direction lead to a new question. How Arkansas. In my own does one calculate things in this regime? The work the quantum tra- standard calculation methods in quantum optics jectory method has now were based on small noise expansions, which in Julio Gea-Banacloche replaced the positive P one sense were completely self-defeating employed 1990. representation for because they assumed from the outset that understanding quantum what one was calculating was destined to be a fluctuations in the large noise regime. small effect. I began working with the positive “One further thing contributed significantly to P representation; this representation allows the my research during my latter years at the quantum mechanical equations of motion to be University of Arkansas. As I have said, I began mapped into a classical stochastic process which studying small optical systems because the can be simulated on a computer, without any quantum noise in these systems is large. I soon restriction on the size of the quantum noise. I realized that there existed a new, growing area eventually discovered that the positive P repre- of research, which studies the same sort of sys-

103 tems; although not from the point of view of and the book is not finished, but it is close. quantum fluctuations. The research area went Hopefully, I will complete it by the end of this by the somewhat overblown name of cavity year. Having done so I will have completed the quantum electro-dynamics (cavity QED). I last of the projects I started at the University of began working out the connections between Arkansas. The less direct connections to my six things being done in cavity QED and the work I years there, through research interests and was doing on the quantum theory of optical things learned at that time, will certainly con- b i s t a b i l i t y. The principal result of this activity tinue, however, throughout my career. This was was the understanding that an oscillatory a very productive time. I look back on it with response I had seen in results for delayed pho- happy memories of hard work and not too much ton coincidence measurements in optical bista- of this paper shuffling baloney.” End of E-mail bility was, in the language of the cavity QED statement transmitted by Dr. Howard J. people, a manifestation of “vacuum” Rabi os- Carmichael from the University of Oregon in cillations. Thus began my research in cavity April 1994. QED, which continues to this day. The renewal Dr. Reeta Vyas joined the department on of my NSF grant, which was made the year a full-time status in 1989 and has already con- before I left Arkansas, was for work in cavity tributed significantly to the teaching program QED. and the research program of the department. “These paragraphs She was on a part-time appointment with the give an overview of department starting in 1984. the research direc- The following is from an e-mail docu- tions I followed at the ment received from Dr. Reeta Vyas dated April University of Arkansas 4, 1994, edited and revised March 1995. and the way my time “My research interests are in the areas of in Arkansas defined quantum optics, non-linear optics, and laser continuing research physics. We have developed new techniques for interests. I should studying the quantum statistical properties of also mention my light generated in nonlinear optical processes. graduate students, We have developed realistic models for these Perry Rice, Murray Min Xiao employed 1990. states that incorporate dis-sipation and nonlin- Wo l i n s k y, and Pa u l earity of the atom-field interaction. These Alsing, who all contributed to this research. studies are centered on the calculations of cer- Perry is now an Assistant Professor at Miami tain quantum distributions. A recent analytic University in Ohio. Murray, who left Arkansas calculation based on this approach for homo- with both a Ph.D. in Physics (awarded by the dyne detection of light from a parametric oscil- University of Texas at Austin) and a girl friend lator has revealed a rich variety of quantum who eventually became his wife, is now working effects displayed by this light. Examples of at Los Alamos. Paul works as a research sci- these quantum effects include antibunching, entist in the Philips laboratory at Kirtland Air s u b Poissonian statistics, and novel nonclassical Force Base. correlations, which are dramatic manifestations “Of course, one does more as a physics pro- of quantum interference and collapse of the fessor than just research. While I was at wavefunction. We are using these techniques to Arkansas I taught mainly undergraduate courses. study other nonlinear optical systems. These I did teach an advanced quantum optics course studies are important not only from the funda- which I have subsequently taught both at the mental point of view but also have potential for University of Oregon and at the University of applications in fields such as atomic spec- Waikato in New Zealand. I also began working t r o s c o p y, precision measurements, and optical on a book based on lectures given at the communications. University of Texas at Austin while I was on “ We are also studying interaction of these leave there in 1984. It is now ten years later nonclassical states with simple quantum systems

104 squeezed. With increase in magnetic field, variances of position and momentum quadratures exhibit interesting patterns in time. We find regions of insta- bility where variances of both quadratures continue to grow with time. Since an important purpose of trapping atoms is to Stereoscopic pictures of Buckyball, courtesy of William H. Harter. Staring at these minimize the center two pictures can reveal a 3-D image. Try it. of mass motion, these studies will provide a better understanding consisting of single two- and three-level atoms. of any fundamental limits on the residual parti- The introduction of nonclassical light in these cle motion. problems allows us to explore regimes which “During the past ten years, I have taught vari- from the start have no classical analogs. The ous courses at the University of Arkansas at both atom can be in free space or inside an optical graduate and undergraduate levels. The under- c a v i t y. Dissipation due to atomic and cavity graduate courses include UP I, UPIII, physics for decays is included. We are studying these sys- architects, mechanics, and electromagnetism. tems in various limits involving weak field, The advance level courses include theoretical strong field, weak coupling, and strong coupling physics, advance mechanics, mathematical approximations. All regimes are experimentally methods, and quantum optics. I taught a short accessible. Our aim is to understand how the course on the recent developments in quantum quantum nature of the atom-field interaction is optics in summer of reflected in the fluctuation properties of the 1992 at João Pe s s o a , emitted fields. An example of this is provided Brazil.” by the light scattered from a single two-level This is the end of the atom. Such an atom acts as a regulatory gate. statement provided It does not allow two photons to be scattered by Dr. Reeta Vy a s , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y. Thus the atom transforms the April 1994, revised incident bunched photon sequence from a and edited March squeezed source into a more regular photon 1995. sequence resulting in a nonclassical reduction of Dr. Julio R. Gea-bana- noise. These studies are based on quantum cloche joined the mechanical density matrix equations, phase department of physics space representations, and Fokker-Planck equa- William H. Harter, employed 1985. Fellow of January 1990 and tions. the American Ph y s i c a l describes his research “In collaboration with our Brazilian colleagues Society 1995. and teaching interests we are also investigating squeezing effects asso- in the e-mail message ciated with the mechanical motion of an atom received March 1994. trapped in time dependent fields. We find that “I do theoretical re- in Paul Trap for small magnetic fields the posi- search in quantum optics. Some consider it to tion quadrature is squeezed most of the time be a “watered-down” version of atomic physics whereas the momentum quadrature is not since one considers only two or three atomic

105 levels at a time. Over the past few years I have his work in the following paragraphs. been focusing on the quantum-classical corre- “Effects due to quantum fluctuations in non- spondence (the cor-respondence principle) and linear interactions between laser fields and non- how it might apply, or not, to the case of radia- linear media have attracted great attention the tion interacting with a single atom in a strong- past decade. Several predictions about the coupling regime. That means a situation where quantum nature of the electromagnetic field, spontaneous emission into other modes has been such as photon antibunching, sub-Poisonian pho- strongly suppressed. Lately I have started to ton statistics, and squeezed states of light, were work with Min Xiao (q.v.) on the theory of some experimentally demonstrated. To use conceptu- experiments he has carried out on electro- ally simple systems (such as the degenerate opti- magnetically-induced transparency. cal parametric oscillator, the intracavity second “I have taught UPII several times over, UPI harmonic generator system, and a set of two- level atoms interacting with a single cavity mode) to study quantum fluctuations is very interesting, because such systems would provide a meeting ground for microscopic quantum theories and laboratory experiments. Studying these quantum effects is important not only in the fundamental sense, but also due to their potential applications. In some earlier experiments, we have demonstrated, in principle, that precision optical measurements (both in phase and amplitude) can be improved beyond the quantum shot-noise limit by squeezed states of light. These experiments have widened the prospects for the applications of squeezed states to various other precision measurements, such as gravita- tional wave detection, atomic spectroscopy, Allen M. Hermann, left, (1986-89), sixth chairman. optical communication, optical gyroscopes, and Co-discoverer of thallium high-temperature super- optical computing. conductor and an accomplished trombone player. “I am now interested in generation and appli- Moved to University of Colorado. cations of quantum nature of light, such as twice, and a variety of graduate-level courses, squeezed states of light and sub-Poissonian pho- including Math Methods I, Advanced Modern ton statistics, both experimentally and theoreti- Physics I and II, Classical Electrodynamics I and c a l l y. It is particularly interesting to study II, Quantum Optics and Quantum Mechanics. interactions between these non-classical fields “Three graduate students came here with the with two- or three-level atomic systems, where express purpose of working with me on my new physical phenomena are predicted to research. I am a member of one of the organiz- appear and to further improve sensitivity of ing committees (quantum optics division) for optical precision measurements where the quan- this year’s International Quantum Electronics tum shot-noise limit has been reached, such as Conference (IQEC ‘94). I have one NSF grant en- FM spectroscopy. titled “Cavity quantum electrodynamics and the “I am now working on new schemes of achiev- quantum-classical correspondence” and had an ing lasing without population inversion in multi- A S TA grant when I came here. It was entitled level atomic systems. We have done some theo- “Coherence in open quantum systems.”” Dr. retical work on searching for more effective up- Julio R. Gea-Banacloche, March 1994, edited conversion lasers and for lasers with output March, 1995. intensity fluctuations below the standard shot- Dr. Min Xiao joined the physics department in noise limit. 1990. In January of 1993 Dr. Min Xiao describes “ We have built tunable solid-state

106 ( Ti:Sapphire) lasers of different configurations. C6 0 molecule was found by chemists Kroto and We use the second harmonic generation and the Smalley at Rice University in 1985. Its structure optical parametric oscillation in and out of the remained controversial until it was identified laser cavity to study nonlinear optical dynamic spectroscopically and produced in larger quanti- effects. We also generate quantum states from ties by physicists Huffman and Kratschmer at these nonlinear optical processes to interact the University of Arizona in 1990. with atomic systems. We are setting up experi- “Their experimental work was stimulated by ments to test our models of lasing without popu- predictions for C60 rotational-vibrational spectra lation inversion in multi-level atomic systems. d o n e “My other research interests include optical at the University of Arkansas by William Harter diagnostic techniques in materials, such as syn- and David Weeks beginning in 1986. A Macintosh thetic diamond films and high temperature program and various computer graphic tech- superconductive materials. niques were used to analyze the 174 vibrational “I taught Modern Physics Laboratory for grad- normal modes and their rotational behavior. uate students and UP III Laboratory for under- The Macintosh microcomputer program produces graduate students during the school year 1991 3D stereo movies of the molecular vibrations. and 1992. These involve standard laboratory Huffman borrowed this program in 1988. His experiments. first indication of the icosahedral structure was “I taught Advanced Electrodynamic Theory I four peaks in a 1989 infrared spectrum of carbon and II for two years, during the Fall of 1990 and soot. As predicted by the theory, only four reso- Spring 1992. These are graduate courses that nances labeled Tlu escape the strict icosahedral have some relation to my research field of dipole selection rules! optics. “The icosahedral “I taught a high level graduate course entitled symmetry of C60 is the highest possible symme- Optical Coherence Theory. This course deals try that a molecule can have in three dimension- with classical and quantum coherence theories. al space. However, it has this extraordinary Since there was no standard textbook for this symmetry only if all the carbon atoms are iden- 12 13 course, I taught this course out of research tical, that is, only if they are all C or all C. Otherwise, it has no rotational symmetry at all! papers in the last then years up to 1992. This Here we have a case of the highest ideal or course was very closely related to my research purest form being wrecked by a single neutron. in quantum optics, since, by definition, quantum The loss of symmetry has tremendous quantum optical coherence is part of the field of quan- mechanical effects because of the Pauli princi- tum optics. Teaching this course requires strong ple. 12C has nuclear spin-0 so 12C is a ‘Bose- background in my research experience and 60 ball’. 1 3C has nuclear spin-1/2 so 1 3C is a knowledge.” Dr. Min Xiao, January 1993, edited 6 0 ‘Fermi-ball’. The combinations 1 3C1 2C a r e February, 1995. 5 9 essentially classical balls but with less symme- t r y. The effect on the rotational-vibrational S T R U C T U R E A N D D Y N A M I C S O F P O LY- ATO M I C spectra is enormous; in a J=50 multiplet where MOLECULES 1 2 1 3 1 2 C6 0 has only two allowed lines, C C5 9 w i l l The following is quoted from material provid- 1 3 have 202, and C6 0 will have a virtual con- ed by Dr. William H. Harter dated January 1993 tinuum of 260 hyperfine structure lines! “If you remember your mechanics courses you “Computer graphical might recall the strong resonance effects that pictures of quantum rotor phase space helps to occur between two identically coupled oscilla- understand high resolution laser spectra of poly- tors. Now imagine a configuration of sixty iden- atomic molecules. Prior work here in the tical coupled oscillators and you will begin to physics department has helped to understand picture the newly discovered C m o l e c u l e 6 0 laser spectra of molecules such as SF6, SiF4, and called Buckminsterfuller- C8H8 and exposed new physical effects. ence or “Buckeyball” for short. Evidence for Unusually strong couplings between vibrations, the soccer ball shaped icosahedrally symmetric rotations, and nuclear spin moments were pre-

107 dicted and observed in SF6. Analogous but much ture superconductor, Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O. We still stronger effects are likely in the C60 molecule. hold the record for zero-resistance at about 13 SF6 is composed of six spin-1/2 nuclei; C60 has 128° K. This brought support ($1 million) from sixty! Graduate student Tyle Reimer is begin- (then) Governor Clinton and the state legisla- ning to investigate these effects.”-Dr. William G. ture. Harter, January 1993. “Anecdote: (Gov.) Clinton, when he heard me Dr. Harter was honored for his work by being play my trombone at the Fayetteville Hilton, designated a Fellow of the American Ph y s i c a l said he’d have gotten us $2 million if he’d Society in 1995. known I played so well. “Left Fayetteville in December 1989 to SUPERCONDUCTIVITY become Professor of Physics at the University of D r. Allen M. Hermann came from the Jet Colorado at Boulder. Great place! Still working Propulsion Laboratory in 1986 to become the hard on Tl-based superconductors, particularly sixth Chairman of Physics. He had been honored for thin-film microwave devices. And, of for some of his work by being designated as a course, still playing my trombone!” Fellow of the American Physical Society before Best wishes, coming to the University of Arkansas. Allen M. Hermann His interest in superconductivity served him Professor of Physics well here. He and Z. Z. Sheng, who had just received his Ph.D. under Dr. Paul Koroda in The following chemistry, formed a productive team. Professor material extracted Hermann once remarked that Dr. Sheng, who is from a May 1993 now Research Professor of Physics, was one of report prepared by Dr. the best chemists that he had ever worked with. Donald O. Pe d e r s o n Together they formulated the highest tempera- gives information rel- ture superconductor in the world! Dr. Hermann ative to the discovery left the University for the University of Colorado at the University of in 1989. Arkansas of “high “High temperatures” from the standpoint of temperature” super- superconductor development in the late 1980’s conductors in the late Zhengzhi Sheng, co-dis- meant temperatures above liquid helium (4.2° 1 9 8 0 ’s. A little of k) and liquid hydrogen (20.4° K). Indeed, the coverer of high-tempera- the feeling of excite- ture superconductor. boiling temperature of liquid nitrogen (77.3° K) ment which this work was considered to be “high temperature” and it engendered at that was a temperature relatively easy to obtain and period is also introduced. maintain. The sublimation temperature of dry “Prior to 1987, there was no published super- ice (195.5° K) is very hot in this frame of refer- conductivity research in the Department of ence! Physics at the University of Arkansas. It is some- The following note is from Dr. Allen Hermann what remarkable that in a department in which (1986-1989), famous for his work on high-tem- there was no research going on in perature superconductors when at Arkansas in s u p e r c o n d u c t i v i t y, an event as momentous as collaboration with Z. Z. Sheng. He is professor the discovery of the thallium high temperature of physics at the University of Colorado at the superconductor (HTS) could occur. There was date of this note, February 27, 1993. one important though little known connection “Dear Paul: prior to 1987 that linked the department to the “Thanks for the note of Feb 1, 1993. Thought superconductivity community. I’d better pen this before my trip next week to “A bright electrical engineering student at the Japan—pardon the cryptic form. University of Arkansas joined the Department of “Research at UAF: discovered (with my post- Physics after his B.S.E.E. to work on a Master of doc Z. Z. Sheng) the world’s highest tempera- Science degree in theoretical physics that he

108 received in 1961 under Professor H. M. in the field of high temperature superconductors Schwartz. William L. McMillan then went to the (HTSC). University of Illinois where he completed a doc- “During the spring of 1987, Allen Hermann torate in 1964 under Nobel Laureate John was teaching introductory physics and discussed Bardeen. McMillan is widely known for his these new discoveries in his class. It was also development of an approximation known as the during the spring of 1987 following receipt of his McMillan formula that enables one to predict Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas in nuclear the transition temperature of strong-coupled su- chemistry that Zhengzhi Sheng decided to work perconductors that complements the description in the area of high temperature superconductiv- of weak-coupled superconductors by the i t y. Sheng discussed the possibility of carrying Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory [W. L. out some of his ideas with two physics faculty McMillan, Phys. Rev. 167, 331, (1968)]. McMillan members, Professors F. T. Chan and Allen M. joined Bell Laboratories in late 1963 where he Hermann, who was also chair of the de- continued to make contributions to the un- partment. derstanding of superconductivity before he “ S h e n g ’s background in inorganic chemistry returned in 1972 to the University of Illinois as and experience with rare earth elements Professor of Physics. enabled him to make yttrium barium copper “McMillan achieved recognition for his accom- oxide (Yt-Ba-Cu-O) samples following the discov- plishments in the field of superconductivity ery by Chu. By the end of the spring of 1987 when he and two other researchers from Bell Sheng felt some urgency in beginning high Laboratories received the 10th Fritz London temperature superconductivity research. Prize that the research community awards bien- “Hermann, whose research previous to his nially at an International Low Temperature Con- 1986 appointment at the University of Arkansas ference. The University of Arkansas recognized included experiments on low temperature su- McMillan for his accomplishments in 1979 with perconductors, tested some of the samples an honorary doctorate. McMillan met an Sheng had made. The samples were as good as untimely death in a bicycle accident near any samples in the country at the time accord- Urbana in 1984. [Physics To d a y, S e p t e m b e r, ing to Hermann. After discussions between 1985, p. 92] It can only be a matter of specula- Hermann and Donald O. Pederson, a member of tion what McMillan might have contributed to the physics faculty who was then Vi c e the understanding of high temperature super- Chancellor for Academic Affairs, in the Ph y s i c s conductors that continues to elude the best Building hallway in May of 1987, university funds minds in physics. were made available from the Graduate School. “It was only a few years ago in September of These funds provided for the appointment of 1986 that IBM Zurich physicists Karl Alex Muller Sheng as a research associate in the Department and Johannes Georg Bednorz announced signs of of Physics to pursue his ideas. superconductivity at near 30° K (-405° F) in lan- “In August of 1987, Sheng and Hermann an- thanum barium copper oxide (La-Ba-Cu-O). By nounced a new process for creating high tem- January of 1987, Paul C. W. Chu at the perature superconductors that could be shaped, University of Houston had confirmed these molded, or formed into wires. That had previ- results and Bertram Batlogg and Robert Cava at ously not been possible. Their new process also Bell Laboratories announced that lanthanum improved Chu’s material to become supercon- strontium copper oxide (La-Sr-Cu-O) became a ducting at 95° K (-288° F), a slight improvement superconductor at 36° K (-395° F). in the world record. Following this work the “By March of 1987, Chu and his coworkers had Arkansas Energy Office of the Arkansas Industrial replaced the lanthanum in the IBM compound Development Commission awarded Hermann and with yttrium and had seen the resistance of the Sheng $140,000 beginning February 1, 1988, to yttrium barium copper oxide (Yt-Ba-Cu-O) drop continue work in high temperature superconduc- sharply at 93° K (-292° F). These developments tors. These funds required approval of the Joint led to an explosion of research and publications Committee on Energy of the Arkansas General

109 Assembly and Governor Bill Clinton as autho- cles about their work in the Wall Street Journal, rized under Act 7 of 1981. the New York Times, National Geographic, t h e “One year after the initial 1986 discovery, Chronicle of Higher Education, Superconductor Bednorz and Muller were awarded the Nobel Week, Newsweek, Science News, Business Week, Prize. In January of 1988, Sheng and Hermann Research & Develop-ment, Physics To d a y, a n d announced the first rare-earth-free supercon- Science. ductor, thallium barium copper oxide (Tl-Ba-Cu- “Governor Clinton announced on June 15, O), with a super-conducting transition beginning 1988, an Arkansas Energy Office award under at 91° K (-296° F) which is above the tempera- Act 7 in 1981 that was the largest grant from ture of liquid nitrogen at 77° K (-321° F). On the state in support of a particular research pro- the same day a Japanese group also announced ject. The amount of the grant was for a rare-earth-free superconductor using bismuth $1,007,796 beginning July 1, 1988, and was to instead of thallium. continue high temperature superconductivity “On February 15, 1988, Sheng and Hermann research. The grant followed a demonstration announced a new record high of superconductiv- of superconductivity levitation before the ity at 122° K(-238° F) in thallium barium calci- Committee on Energy and Governor Clinton. um copper oxide (Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O). [Z. Z. Sheng “While IBM received the first patent for a and A. M. Hermann, Nature 332, 138 (1988)] On thallium compound superconductor as reported February 2 the details of the discovery were in October of 1989 [Robert Pool, S c i e n c e 2 4 6 , presented as a poster session paper at the World 320, (1989)], it was only for a process of making Congress on Superconductivity in Houston. By the compound and not for the compound itself. March 3, 1988, scientists at IBM Almaden had Sixteen patents had been issued by April of 1993 taken the Arkansas material and the Arkansas on the high temperature superconductivity discovery and had coaxed it to becoming research at the University of Arkansas. The pri- superconducting at 125° K (-235° F). mary patents on the 120o K thallium compound “Thus in early 1988, researchers at the were licensed to Superconductor Te c h n o l o g i e s University of Arkansas and the Department of Incorporated (STI) with headquarters in Santa Physics led the world in the search for higher Barbara, California, on April 10, 1992. The temperature super-conductors. More than five University and the inventors will receive over $1 years later as of, May 1993, the record still million in license fees and 400,000 shares of stood. Sheng and Class D stock of the company. STI went public Hermann have been on March 9, 1993, at $10 per share and in the widely recognized for week ending April 23, 1993, was trading in the their discovery. NASDAQ national market (as SupTech) at a low “The discovery at of 61/2 and a high of 83/4 on a volume of just Arkansas came about over 200,000 shares. in part because of the “During the period of collaboration between involvement of under- Sheng and Hermann, the publications on their graduates in the research in refereed journals numbered 3 in research. When the 1987, 15 in 1988, 13 in 1989, and 1 in 1990, undergraduates did including 3 in Nature and 2 in Physical Re v i e w some of the prepara- Letters. Hermann left the University of Claud H. Lacy, tion work slightly dif- Arkansas in January of 1990 for a position at the a s t r o n o m e r, employed f e r e n t l y, it led Sheng University of Colorado. Sheng has continued to to try a different carry out research on new high temperature preparation technique that resulted in the thal- superconducting materials primarily by ele- lium compound. mental substitution and has published 28 addi- “This discovery put Sheng and Hermann, the tional refereed articles over the period 1990- Department of Physics, and the University of 1992. Arkansas on the national science map with arti- “Professor William G. Harter became interest-

110 ed in the levitation attached and interconnected using printed cir- effects of the high cuit techniques, incorporating high temperature temperature su- superconducting interconnects and thin film perconductors in substrates. While the advances in high temper- 1988. [William G. ature superconductivity gave the University of H a r t e r, A. M. Arkansas credibility in any project concerned Hermann, and Z. Z. with high temperature superconductivity and Sheng, Appl. Ph y s . certainly opened the door to this additional Lett. 53, 1119 (1988)] funding, the goals of both companies and DARPA This lead to develop- emphasized the application of high temperature ment of one of the superconductors to improving multichip modules earliest high tempera- rather than basic material research being car- Prof. S. K. Haynes, Mich- ture superconductor ried out by Sheng. igan State University magnetic bearings by “The High Density Electronic Center (HiDEC) Dept. Head, was brought his doctoral student was created at the University of Arkansas to in by the Graduate Dean David E. Weeks who establish the University’s presence in the multi- to review the physics doc- reported on the work chip module (MCM) arena. A MCM facility valued toral program. in 5 publications. A at over $1 million was built at the Engineering patent was obtained Research Center to enable MCM research and based on this work also. development to be carried out on campus. The “ Pederson began looking for additional fund- high temperature superconducting thin film ing for the high temperature superconductivity development of Chan, Salamo, Sheng and effort in late 1990. In early 1991 a group of fac- coworkers supported by the bulk HTSC work of ulty from physics and engineering submitted a Sheng fit very well into the High Density proposal for a thin film center to the National Electron Center (HiDEC) work initially. But as Science Foundation. This proposal was not suc- the HiDEC project addressed specific goals of cessful but formed the basis for discussions with companies and agencies, it moved to more mis- the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency sion directed research and away from curiosity during the spring of 1991. These discussions driven research. Chan and Salamo continue to occurred during a time when DARPA was reduc- pursue research in laser ablation of thallium thin ing their support for various superconductivity film superconducting materials using some of consortia. DARPA was moving their support to Sheng’s techniques and provide the closest link teaming arrangements doing more mission ori- between the physics department and HiDEC in ented research and development that might take advantage of the advances in not only high temperature superconductivity but also in the development of crystalline diamond thin films. The University benefited tremendously from the guidance of Dr. Al Joseph, formerly with the Rockwell Science Center, and Bruce MacDonald in Senator Dale Bumpers’ office in discussions with the Defense Advanced Research Pr o j e c t s Agency and in developing cooperative arrangements with industry. “The proposed work evolved into support from E-Systems of Dallas, Texas, and Norton Diamond Film of Northborough, Massachusetts, on projects focus-ed on advanced multichip Eugene Wigner of Princeton University shaking hands modules (MCM). These modules are substrates with graduate student Keith Andrews after his talk at upon which the bare semiconducting chips are UALR in March of 1984.

111 the arena of superconductivity. now serving the University in his capacity as “The final verse on high temperature super- Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This conductivity has perhaps not yet been written. report is reproduced here by permission of Dr. While the discovery of Sheng and Hermann is no Gupta and Dr. Pederson with only minor editorial longer the world record holder, Sheng continues changes. The complete version is housed in to pursue new materials with the possibility of Special Collections of the University of Arkansas n e w, even higher temperature superconductors Libraries. ever present. While the University of Arkansas D r. Zhengzhi Sheng summarizes his work and has teamed with interests and the ongoing activities in the industry to do research superconductor laboratory in a flier prepared in and development in 1994 for posting in the physics department. one aspect of the use “The Superconductor Laboratory is the discov- of high temperature ery place of the Tl-based superconductors—one superconductors, it is of the high Tc superconductor families with the an open question highest Tc and the most useful properties of whether this will lead applications. Since 1987, under the support of to success and expan- the Arkansas Energy Office, the Superconductor sion of the effort. Laboratory has discovered a number of new While the University of superconductors, especially Tl-based supercon- Professor Norman Arkansas has licensed ductors both in bulk and thin film form. About Ramsey talked to stu- its thallium patent to 20 patents were awarded by the U. S. Pa t e n t dents and faculty in an entrepreneurial and Trademark Office, and the patents related c o m p a n y , to the Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O superconductors were Superconductor Technologies Incorporated, the transferred to Superconductor Technologies, Inc. success of this company in the marketplace also for commercialization. is an open question. “The ongoing work of the Superconductor “While much basic and applied work in high Laboratory includes the search for new and even temperature superconductivity remains to be higher temperature superconductors, the done, the Physics Department’s role in the de- improvements of Tl-based and Hg-based super- velopment of a mature technology and an conductors (including high-pressure synthesis), understanding of the phenomenon will depend the thick and thin film deposition, and the theo- to a large extent on its current efforts. Regard- retical understanding of the high Tc supercon- less of these possibilities, the University of ductivity. It would be necessary to expand the Arkansas, the Department of Physics, and Sheng Superconductor Laboratory to a Superconductor and Hermann will remain a significant footnote Research Center in order to attract more fund- in the annals of important discoveries.” ing. The Center would carry out research on The above very informative and complete high Tc superconductors in all fields: Basic (the- report on the ory, basic physical properties, and new material spectacular Sheng search); bulk and wire (bulks, single crystals, and Hermann discov- and wires, and related applications); and film eries was prepared (thick films, thin films, and related applica- for Physics Depart- tions).” ment Chairman This is the end of the statement by Dr. Rajendra Gupta by Zhenegzhi Shen prepared fall, 1994. Donald O. Pederson in May of 1993 and cor- ASTRONOMY rected in May of Dr. Claud H. Lacy was the second professional 1995. Dr. Pe d e r s o n astronomer to be employed, having joined the was formerly chair- Astronomer William A. de-partment in 1980. Carol Webb was the first man of physics and is Hiltner visits ca 1965. professional astronomer.

112 The following is extracted from material pro- stellar and interstellar astrophysics, extragalac- vided by Dr. Claud H. Lacy dated January 1993. tic astronomy and cosmology. We usually have 6 “I am participating to 10 students in the course.”-Dr. Claud H. Lacy- in a collaborative effort with co-workers in January, 1993, edited February 1995. Texas, Arizona , and California to determine Graduate Program Review accurate fundamental astrophysical data about stars in eclipsing binary and multiple star sys- There have been two reviews of the Ph . D . tems. The types of data we are able to provide program in physics. In the first of these reviews include orbital parameters, masses, radii, lumi- carried out in the late 1960’s, Dean Adkisson of nosities, and internal structure of the stars. In the graduate school listed two persons who order to determine these data we need to would be available to come to Fayetteville and obtain both the brightness as a function of time spend approximately a week looking over every (the light curve) of the eclipsing binary and the aspect of the doctoral program within the radial velocities of both stars as a function of department. The person chosen by the depart- time (the RV curve). ment to do this review was Professor S. K. “It is possible to measure light curves of these Haynes of the department of physics of Michigan eclipsing binaries with a relatively small tele- State University. scope. For this purpose we are using telescopes He reported to the department chairman and in Chile and at the University of Arkansas Droke was given a desk, the old roll top previously observatory near Fayetteville. These telescopes used by Ripley and Ham, and he spent the whole are observing the eclipsing binaries to obtain week collecting information from within the light curves. Radial velocities are derived from department and from others. spectra which must be obtained with large tele- He wrote his report and sent a copy to the scopes. We are using telescopes at McDonald graduate dean and to the physics department Observatory in Texas and Kitt Peak National chairman. Professor Haynes sympathized with Observatory in Arizona to obtain digital spectra the needs of a growing department and was of our program stars. Radial velocities are indeed rather complimentary of our efforts. He extracted from the spectra with main-frame reiterated what we already knew and empha- computers on campus. sized the need for a stronger base of research “Numerical models can be fitted to the pho- support personnel. tometric and spectroscopic data to derive fun- The second review of the physics doctoral damental astrophysical parameters such as the program was done by a local Committee on masses and radii of the stars. We can often Professional Education, called COPE. This study determine these data to an accuracy of 1% or was done in 1980 and the committee visited sev- better at present. We are now experimenting eral departments and studied the program. The with new techniques to push these investiga- department was required to provide in depth tions to much higher levels of accuracy – better information about its program, the grants, the than 0.1%. At these levels of accuracy t h e number of degrees, the faculty and graduate observations can serve as a critical test of theo- student activities, and courses. ries of stellar evolution - theories which cannot It was during this time that the physics facul- match the observations must be rejected. ty decided to emphasize laser physics and quan- There are now indications that current theories tum optics. Also as a part of the desire to are not capable of explaining all the obser- define its program, a report was written in vations. This may have a profound effect on which is was stated that the only way that astrophysical theory. physics would be recognized on a national scale “Two junior-level astronomy courses are regu- would be through its research program. While larly taught: Stellar System Astronomy (ASTR this was doubtless true, there was some objec- 3053) and Solar System Astronomy (ASTR 3033). tion that teaching was taking a back seat. In The only senior level astronomy course regularly fact one rather literary professor on that very taught is Astrophysics (ASTR 4013), which covers select committee wrote a strong dissenting

113 report. with a copy to the physics department chairman The following is an excerpt from the dissent- Donald Pederson. ing or “minority report” dated October 31, 1979 “Bernard Madison’s report on the Physics eval- written by Dr. Phillip Bashor of the philosophy uation refers to my exception to the research department, a member of the Physics Evaluation emphasis being made therein. Committee. The report was sent to John C. “I would appreciate the inclusion of the whole Guilds, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, paragraph giving context to the statement

114