Raymond George Herb (January 22, 1908 – October 1, 1996) was an American professor of nuclear physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was known for building electrostatic accelerators. His work influenced the Manhattan Project, which built the first nuclear weapons. In 1960, the University of São Paulo awarded him an honorary doctorate.[1] He won the Bonner Prize in 1968. He started a company called NEC that manufactures electrostatic accelerators. He was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences.[2]

Raymond Herb
Born(1908-01-22)January 22, 1908
DiedOctober 1, 1996(1996-10-01) (aged 88)
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison (BA, 1931) (PhD, 1935)
Known forDeveloped the first practical Getter-ion Vacuum Pump.
Built the first practical source of negative ions.
Tandem accelerator
Named Pelletrons.
SpouseAnne Williamson
Children5
AwardsTom W. Bonner Prize (1968)
Scientific career
FieldsNuclear Physics
InstitutionsUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PatronsGlen G. Havens
D. B. Parkinson
D. W. Kerst
G. J. Plain
Notable studentsJ. A. Ferry

University of Wisconsin now holds a seminar series in his memory.

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References

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  1. ^ "Honorary Doctorates between the decades of 1950s and 1960s from the University of São Paulo, Brazil" (PDF).
  2. ^ Richards, Hugh T. (February 1997). "Obituary: Raymond G. Herb". Physics Today. 50 (2): 87–88. Bibcode:1997PhT....50b..87R. doi:10.1063/1.2806537.