W. W. Hansen
Encyclopedia
William Webster Hansen was a U.S.
physicist
who was one of the founders of the technology of microwave
electronics
.
, was a hardware store owner in Fresno, California
and encouraged his son's early talent in mathematics
and enthusiasm for electronics. Entering Stanford University
at the age of 16, he received his doctorate in 1933.
He went on to become interested in the problem of accelerating electron
s for X-ray
experiments, using oscillating
fields, rather than large static voltage
s. At the University of California, Berkeley
, Ernest Lawrence
and David H. Sloan had worked on an accelerator driven by a resonant
coil. Hansen proposed replacing the coil with a cavity resonator. However, in 1937, the 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 Varians' 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.
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.
Returning to Stanford in 1945 as a full professor, he embarked on the construction of a series of linear accelerators
based on klystron technology and of GeV
performance. Along with the Varian brothers, he co-founded Varian Associates
in 1948. Sadly, he was never to see the completion of the klystron project. He died at age 39 in Palo Alto, California
of a lung disease caused by inhaling the beryllium
used in his research. His wife Betsy, the daughter of Perley Ason Ross, committed suicide a few months later.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
who was one of the founders of the technology of microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
.
Life
Hansen's father, an immigrant from DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, was a hardware store owner in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
and encouraged his son's early talent in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and enthusiasm for electronics. Entering Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
at the age of 16, he received his doctorate in 1933.
He went on to become interested in the problem of accelerating electron
Electron
The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
s for X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
experiments, using oscillating
Oscillation
Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value or between two or more different states. Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes...
fields, rather than large static voltage
Voltage
Voltage, otherwise known as electrical potential difference or electric tension is the difference in electric potential between two points — or the difference in electric potential energy per unit charge between two points...
s. At the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, Ernest Lawrence
Ernest Lawrence
Ernest Orlando Lawrence was an American physicist and Nobel Laureate, known for his invention, utilization, and improvement of the cyclotron atom-smasher beginning in 1929, based on his studies of the works of Rolf Widerøe, and his later work in uranium-isotope separation for the Manhattan Project...
and David H. Sloan had worked on an accelerator driven by a resonant
Resonance
In physics, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate at a greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. These are known as the system's resonant frequencies...
coil. Hansen proposed replacing the coil with a cavity resonator. However, in 1937, the brothers Russel H. Varian and Sigurd F. Varian
Russell and Sigurd Varian
Russell Harrison Varian and Sigurd Fergus Varian were brothers who founded one of the earliest high-tech companies in Silicon Valley...
came to Stanford to work on the foundations of what was to become radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
. Hansen exploited some of the Varians' work to develop the klystron
Klystron
A klystron is a specialized linear-beam vacuum tube . Klystrons are used as amplifiers at microwave and radio frequencies to produce both low-power reference signals for superheterodyne radar receivers and to produce high-power carrier waves for communications and the driving force for modern...
and during the years 1937 to 1940, along with collaborators such as John R. Woodyard, founded the field of microwave electronics.
In 1941, he moved his team to the Sperry Gyroscope Company
Sperry Corporation
Sperry Corporation was a major American equipment and electronics company whose existence spanned more than seven decades of the twentieth century...
where they spent the war years
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
employing their expertise in radar applications and in other problems.
Returning to Stanford in 1945 as a full professor, he embarked on the construction of a series of linear accelerators
Linear particle accelerator
A linear particle accelerator is a type of particle accelerator that greatly increases the velocity of charged subatomic particles or ions by subjecting the charged particles to a series of oscillating electric potentials along a linear beamline; this method of particle acceleration was invented...
based on klystron technology and of GeV
GEV
GEV or GeV may stand for:*GeV or gigaelectronvolt, a unit of energy equal to billion electron volts*GEV or Grid Enabled Vehicle that is fully or partially powered by the electric grid, see plug-in electric vehicle...
performance. Along with the Varian brothers, he co-founded Varian Associates
Varian Associates
Varian Associates was one of the first high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1948 by Russell H. and Sigurd F. Varian, William Webster Hansen, and Edward Ginzton to sell the klystron, the first tube which could generate electromagnetic waves at microwave frequencies, and other...
in 1948. Sadly, he was never to see the completion of the klystron project. He died at age 39 in Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
of a lung disease caused by inhaling the beryllium
Beryllium
Beryllium is the chemical element with the symbol Be and atomic number 4. It is a divalent element which occurs naturally only in combination with other elements in minerals. Notable gemstones which contain beryllium include beryl and chrysoberyl...
used in his research. His wife Betsy, the daughter of Perley Ason Ross, committed suicide a few months later.
Honors
- Liebman Prize of the Institute of Radio EngineersInstitute of Radio EngineersThe Institute of Radio Engineers was a professional organization which existed from 1912 until January 1, 1963, when it merged with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .-Founding:Following several attempts to form a...
, (1945); - President's Certificate of MeritPresident's Certificate of MeritThe President's Certificate of Merit was created June 6, 1946 by Executive Order 9734 signed by US President Harry Truman, "for award by the President or at his direction to any civilian who on or after December 7, 1941 , has performed a meritorious act or service which has aided the United States...
, (1948); - Member of the National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, (1949); - The Hansen Experimental Physics LaboratoryHansen Experimental Physics LaboratoryThe Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory was founded in 1947 and is a facility at the Stanford University aiming to promote interdisciplinary enterprises across different branches of science....
at Stanford was named for him.