J. Robert Oppenheimer
J. Robert Oppenheimer, born on April 22, 1904, was an American theoretical physicist and one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century. He is best known for his leadership in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project.
During World War II, Oppenheimer was appointed as the scientific director of the Manhattan Project, which aimed to develop an atomic bomb. His leadership and scientific insights were crucial in bringing together a team of brilliant minds to work on the highly complex project. The successful test of the first atomic bomb, code-named "Trinity," took place on July 16, 1945, in the New Mexico desert.
After the Manhattan Project, Oppenheimer continued his work in academia and served as the Director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. He remained an influential figure in theoretical physics and participated in the promotion of international scientific cooperation.
J. Robert Oppenheimer's legacy is a complex one, intertwining scientific achievements with the ethical dilemmas of scientific discoveries and the political challenges of his time. He is remembered as a brilliant physicist and a pivotal figure in the development of atomic weaponry, as well as a symbol of the responsibility scientists bear in the pursuit of knowledge and its applications. Oppenheimer passed away on February 18, 1967, leaving behind a lasting impact on physics and the world's understanding of the power and consequences of nuclear technology.
J. Robert Oppenheimer's Patent
Patent Number: US2719924A
Title: Magnetic Shims
Inventor: Oppenheimer J. Robert, Frankel Stanley Phillips, Nelson Eldred Carlyle
Grant Date: 1955-10-04
The patent describes an invention related to the electromagnetic separation of ionized particles with different masses, particularly in a device called a "mass-spectro-separator" or "Calutron." The device is used to separate mixed particles based on their masses.
The conventional device used a homogeneous magnetic field, which is a straight field with uniform intensity, produced between two parallel surfaces made of magnetizable materials. In this field, charged particles projected in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field would follow circular orbits in a plane perpendicular to the magnetic field's direction.
The inventor aims to improve the focus and efficiency of the separation process. To achieve this, they propose a method and means to increase the quantity of material separated into concentrated components without reducing the separation efficiency. The invention involves modifying the magnetic field to obtain sharper focus and improve separated particle collection.
The objectives of the invention include:
Increasing the quantity of separated material without reducing separation efficiency.
Improving material separating devices of this type.
Enhancing the sharpness of focus for an ion beam in the mass-spectro-separator.
Efficiently separating components in a mass-spectro-separator using beams with relatively large angular spread.
Providing a magnetic field that results in a sharp focus of desired components with minimal overlap of undesired components.
Overall, the invention aims to optimize the separation process and improve the focus of the ion beam for better and more efficient separation of particles with slightly different masses.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Robert_Oppenheimer
https://patents.google.com/patent/US2719924A/en?inventor=Oppenheimer+J+Robert&sort=old