William Webster Hansen (May 27, 1909 – May 23, 1949) was an American physicist and professor. He was one of the founders of the technology of microwaveelectronics.[1]
Hansen's father William G Hansen, who was a son of immigrants from Denmark, was a hardware store owner in Fresno, California. He encouraged his son's early talent in mathematics and enthusiasm for electronics. He entered Stanford University at the age of 16, earning his B.A. in 1929 and his Ph.D. in 1933.[2][3]
Hansen went on to become interested in the problem of accelerating electrons for X-ray experiments, using oscillating fields, rather than large static voltages. At the University of California, Berkeley, Ernest Lawrence and his assistant David H. Sloan, had worked on an accelerator driven by a resonant coil. Hansen proposed replacing the coil with a cavity resonator. In 1937, brothers Russel H. Varian and Sigurd F. Varian came to Stanford to work on the foundations of what was to become radar. Hansen exploited some of the Varian's work to develop the klystron and during the years 1937 to 1940, along with collaborators such as John R. Woodyard, founded the field of microwave electronics.[3] In 1941, he moved his team to the Sperry Gyroscope Company where they spent the war years employing their expertise in radar applications and in other problems.[3][4][5]
Returning to Stanford in 1945 as a full professor, he embarked on the construction of a series of linear accelerators based on klystron technology [6] and of GeV performance.[3] Along with the Varian brothers and Edward Ginzton, he co-founded Varian Associates in 1948.[7] Sadly, he was never to see the completion of the klystron project. He died at age 39 in Palo Alto, California[3] of berylliosis and fibrosis of the lungs, caused by inhaling the beryllium used in his research.[8] In 1947, the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory (HEPL) was founded as a facility at Stanford University. The facility is designed to promote interdisciplinary enterprises across different branches of science and was named in his honor.[9][10]
Personal lifeedit
In October 1938, William Webster Hansen married Betsy Ross, who was the younger daughter of Perley Ason Ross, professor of physics at Stanford. Shortly after his death Betsy committed suicide. Their only child had died six months after his birth during the fall of 1947.[3]
Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers, 37 (1949), 910
Bloch, Felix (1952). "William Webster Hansen, 1909-1949". Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences. 27: 121–137.
Süsskind, C. (1981). "Hansen, William Webster". In Gillespie, C.C. (ed.). Dictionary of Scientific Biography. New York: Charles Screibner's Sons. pp. 495–496. ISBN0-684-16970-3.
Varian, Dorothy (1983). The Inventor and the Pilot: Russell and Sigurd Varian. Palo Alto: Pacific Books. ISBN978-0870152375.
Related Readingedit
Wilson, R. R.; Littauer, R. (1960). Accelerators: Machines of Nuclear Physics. New York City: Doubleday & Company.
Ginzton, Edward L. (1975). "The $100 idea". IEEE Spectrum: Feb. 30–39. doi:10.1109/MSPEC.1975.6368703. S2CID 19467137.
Bloch, F.; Hansen, W. W.; Packard, Martin (1 February 1946). "Nuclear Induction". Physical Review. 69 (3–4): 127. Bibcode:1946PhRv...69..127B. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.69.127.
Ginzton, Edward L. (April 1983). "Early Accelerator Work at Stanford" (PDF). SLAC Beam Line: 2–16.
External linksedit
Wikiquote has quotations related to W. W. Hansen.
. An Instroduction to Stanford. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
"John R. Woodyard and William W. Hansen talking, equipment". Emilio Segrè Visual Archives. Archived from the original on 2007-12-22. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
William Webster Hansen Papers
W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory (HEPL)
December 20, 2023
hansen, william, webster, hansen, 1909, 1949, american, physicist, professor, founders, technology, microwave, electronics, william, webster, hansenborn, 1909, 1909fresno, californiadiedmay, 1949, 1949, aged, palo, alto, californianationalityu, alma, materstan. William Webster Hansen May 27 1909 May 23 1949 was an American physicist and professor He was one of the founders of the technology of microwave electronics 1 William Webster HansenBorn 1909 05 27 May 27 1909Fresno CaliforniaDiedMay 23 1949 1949 05 23 aged 39 Palo Alto CaliforniaNationalityU S Alma materStanford UniversityKnown formicrowave electronicsScientific careerFieldsaccelerator physicsInstitutionsHansen Laboratories Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Honors 4 References 5 Sources 6 Related Reading 7 External linksBiography editHansen s father William G Hansen who was a son of immigrants from Denmark was a hardware store owner in Fresno California He encouraged his son s early talent in mathematics and enthusiasm for electronics He entered Stanford University at the age of 16 earning his B A in 1929 and his Ph D in 1933 2 3 Hansen went on to become interested in the problem of accelerating electrons for X ray experiments using oscillating fields rather than large static voltages At the University of California Berkeley Ernest Lawrence and his assistant David H Sloan had worked on an accelerator driven by a resonant coil Hansen proposed replacing the coil with a cavity resonator In 1937 brothers Russel H Varian and Sigurd F Varian came to Stanford to work on the foundations of what was to become radar Hansen exploited some of the Varian s work to develop the klystron and during the years 1937 to 1940 along with collaborators such as John R Woodyard founded the field of microwave electronics 3 In 1941 he moved his team to the Sperry Gyroscope Company where they spent the war years employing their expertise in radar applications and in other problems 3 4 5 Returning to Stanford in 1945 as a full professor he embarked on the construction of a series of linear accelerators based on klystron technology 6 and of GeV performance 3 Along with the Varian brothers and Edward Ginzton he co founded Varian Associates in 1948 7 Sadly he was never to see the completion of the klystron project He died at age 39 in Palo Alto California 3 of berylliosis and fibrosis of the lungs caused by inhaling the beryllium used in his research 8 In 1947 the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory HEPL was founded as a facility at Stanford University The facility is designed to promote interdisciplinary enterprises across different branches of science and was named in his honor 9 10 Personal life editIn October 1938 William Webster Hansen married Betsy Ross who was the younger daughter of Perley Ason Ross professor of physics at Stanford Shortly after his death Betsy committed suicide Their only child had died six months after his birth during the fall of 1947 3 Honors editIEEE Morris N Liebmann Memorial Award of the Institute of Radio Engineers 1944 3 President s Certificate of Merit 1948 3 Member of the National Academy of Sciences 1949 3 References edit William Hansen Array of Contemporary American Physicists Retrieved December 20 2015 1920 Census Fresno CA a b c d e f g h i Susskind 1981 Klystron tube Stanford University Retrieved December 20 2015 Felix Bloch 1952 William Hansen Biographical Memoir National Academy of Sciences Retrieved December 20 2015 Caryotakis George 18 November 1997 The Klystron A Microwave Source of Surprising Range and Endurance PDF University of Stamford Archived from the original PDF on 2015 09 24 Retrieved 11 April 2021 Varian D 1983 The Inventor and the Pilot Palo Alto Pacific Books pp 255 256 Century at Stanford 50 years ago Stanford Magazine July August 2003 Retrieved 2007 08 12 Edward L Ginzton Biography Engineering and Technology History Wiki 22 July 2014 Retrieved December 20 2015 A Brief History of HEPL Stanford University Retrieved December 20 2015 Sources editObituaries New York Times 24 May 1949 Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers 37 1949 910 Bloch Felix 1952 William Webster Hansen 1909 1949 Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences 27 121 137 Susskind C 1981 Hansen William Webster In Gillespie C C ed Dictionary of Scientific Biography New York Charles Screibner s Sons pp 495 496 ISBN 0 684 16970 3 Varian Dorothy 1983 The Inventor and the Pilot Russell and Sigurd Varian Palo Alto Pacific Books ISBN 978 0870152375 Related Reading editWilson R R Littauer R 1960 Accelerators Machines of Nuclear Physics New York City Doubleday amp Company Ginzton Edward L 1975 The 100 idea IEEE Spectrum Feb 30 39 doi 10 1109 MSPEC 1975 6368703 S2CID 19467137 Bloch F Hansen W W Packard Martin 1 February 1946 Nuclear Induction Physical Review 69 3 4 127 Bibcode 1946PhRv 69 127B doi 10 1103 PhysRev 69 127 Ginzton Edward L April 1983 Early Accelerator Work at Stanford PDF SLAC Beam Line 2 16 External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to W W Hansen Klystron Tube An Instroduction to Stanford 2006 Archived from the original on 2007 06 07 Retrieved 2007 08 12 John R Woodyard and William W Hansen talking equipment Emilio Segre Visual Archives Archived from the original on 2007 12 22 Retrieved 2007 08 12 Memorial Resolution William Webster Hansen William Webster Hansen Papers W W Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory HEPL Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title W W Hansen amp oldid 1169810704, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
