John A. Hipple (1911-1985): technology as knowledge

John A. Hipple (1911-1985): technology as knowledge Pierre-Francois PUECH and Bernard PUECH [email protected] Technology, referring to the knowledge of machines and the skills by which we use them, has helped human condition in many ways. J. A. Hipple has developed the relations between technology and science of ions to solve problems in physics discovering nuclear fission with the aid of mass spectroscopic research. Keywords: history, mass spectrometry, mechanisms, instrumentation Education: John Alfred Hipple Jr. was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in June 22, 1911 (son of John Alfred and Esther M. Brown) and was a student at Pen State College 1929-1932. He received the B.S. degree from Franklin and Marshall College in 1933. The Princeton scientists of the laboratories of Physics and Chemistry having started grappling in 1930 with the most important problems of modern science heavy water [1], J.A. Hipple joined the Palmer Physical Laboratory. In 1935, he received an M.S. degree after having proved, with Pr. W.Bleakney, that the density change in heavy water should all be ascribed to deuterium isolated by electrolytic decomposition of ordinary water [2,3]. This was the subject of his Ph.D. degree in 1937 at Princeton where he explored the possibilities of the mass spectroscopy (MS) developments. John A. Hipple was present at the Niels Bohr Institute conference in 1936 with Gregory Breit, Edward Uhler Condon, Henry Eyring, R. H. Fowler, and Hugh Stett Taylor, of Princeton University*. History of MS had begun with Sir Joseph John Thomson with the discovery of the electron in 1897, awarded of 1906 Nobel Prize in Physics, and then MS increased fundamental aspects of matter and energy understanding. John A. Hipple went on to perform measurements at Princeton before constructing new mass spectrometers. He carried investigations in all directions and notably for a team composed of R. C. Herman, R. Hofstadter (Nobel prize in Physics1961), J.M. Delfosse and Rene Puech [4]. MS for J.A. Hipple involved the practical skills of knowing and doing, characteristics of technology that expands knowledge through the investigations. The heavy isotope of hydrogen (2H1 or D), discovered in late 1931, was an object of intense interest. Using emission spectroscopy, John A. Hipple detected the heavy isotope and analysed at the time “over one hundred samples from various sources, including meteorites, for possible oxygen isotopic variations.”[5]. Photography of R. Hofstadter, J.M. Delfosse and R. Puech: Princeton 1938. Nuclear physics is then a ground where world researchers find themselves. © B. Puech. Career. Mass spectrometry was rooted at Princeton in the work of Edward U. Condon and Philip M. Morse who produced in 1929 the first English language book on quantum mechanics [6]. In spring 1937, Condon left Princeton to begin a new phase in his career – industry; Westinghouse wanted to strengthen work in atomic physics. Condon had the idea of having Westinghouse Research Fellowships to be patterned after the National Research Fellowships and John A. Hipple, who had him as a professor in Princeton, came for his first job as a fellow [7]. John Hipple was also a research engineer at Westinghouse (Pittsburgh) where he applied his science knowledge to the solution of technical problems with E. U. Condon, from May 1938 to 1940 [8]. The trochoidal mass spectrometer was originally described by Bleakney and Hipple (1938), it is sometimes called cycloidal mass spectrometers, although the path has loops. The J.A. Hipple device can sort out atoms of chemical substances by weight to aid science and industry. Determination of the accrured mass could provide information about the elemental composition. As the mass of compound of interest increased, so to did the need for greater resolving power; and the cyclotron has been used to determine resonance frequency of H+ ions i.e., protons. John Alfred Hipple, when not occupied with the requested analyses of outside samples has been building models for spectroscopy © National Institute of Standards and Technology Digital Collections; Gaithersburg, MD 20899. He married Eilen McIlroy in 1940 [9] when the fall of France occurred in the summer, and time of understanding atomic structure using mass spectrometry began to turn toward war work. In war time, application of mass spectrometers as an analytical instrument of the hydrocarbon mixtures was crucial for the petroleum industries. Analysis of hydrocarbon molecules, connected to manufacturing processes, was to be investigated. One interest in compiling data, on occurrence of metastable transitions peaks in mass spectra, is that the transitions give some evidence as to the mechanism by which molecule ions dissociate. In charge of the task of creating a database of thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of selected Hydrocarbons; Stevenson and Hipple have found, in 1942, that in the butanes the transition 58+-742++16 gives CH4 and not CH3+ H. This suggested that all metastable transitions involving loss of CH4 imply a similar process. The affinity of the methyl radical for H removes an additional atom in the dissociation process; it was the first satisfactory direct determinations of the ionization potentials of free radicals. Michael A. Grayson pointed in 2002 [10] that ”Hipple was able to show that the diffuse peak patterns resulted from the decomposition of ions after they had left the ion source but before they entered the magnetic field of the mass analyser. On the basis of this observation he concluded that the diffuse peaks corresponded to unstable ions”. In 1941, John Hipple had designed the first portable mass spectrometer which was marketed by Westinghouse Electric, so commercial mass spectrometers appeared and many researches were done on the mass analyser. An advance in ionization methods and mass analyzers was into focus and as greater experience was gained by Hipple, he improved the procedures. When Condon became director of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in November 1945, Hipple had considerable opportunity to follow his ideas. The NBS became a laboratory making research on improving the measurement methods and John A. Hipple was chief of the Atomic Physics Section since the end of 1947 up to 1953. In 1949, John A. Hipple, Helmut Sommer, and Harold A. Thomas devised a method for determining the Faraday constant by purely physical means. At the time it helped Hipple to determine to high accuracy the gyromagnetic ratio of the proton by the high-field method established by an electromagnet. This quantity, p, is of how fast the axis of the proton's intrinsic rotational motion [11]. The Omegatron was developed by Sommer, Thomas and Hipple (1951). The positive ions move perpendicular to a magnetic field and are accelerated along helical paths of ever increasing radii (Archimedes spiral) by an adjustable radiofrequency electric field. This is somewhat similar to the cyclotron, where ions move in circular paths being accelerated with a sudden increase of radius twice per revolution, and it was called the "Omegatron" for the Greek letter used to denote angular frequency. [12-13]. FT-ICR (Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance) MS was described and evolved into one of the more powerful tools in mass spectrometry. John A. Hipple, professor of Geophysics, course for Ph.D. “Potential Theory Applied to Earth Problems”; made a distinctive educational contribution as Director of the Mineral Industries Experiment Station, from 1954 to 1957 at the Pennsylvania State University [14]. There, he engaged a large research program, with the support of the Atomic Energy Commission, to provide fundamental information on the nature, occurrence and origin of uranium. Procedures for laboratory testing have been developed for evaluation of characteristics of minerals and a wide range of fundamental investigations relating to materials has been undertaken to provide a way for students to integrate science learning [15]. Elected at the New York Academy of Sciences June 20, 1957 [16], he started a new Industry experience at North American Philips Co., Inc., 100 E. 42d St., New York 17, N. Y. , as vice President and Director of Research on semiconductors and solid state physics, microwaves, Xrays, crystallography, magnetic, termionics, cryogenics, radiation detection, chemistry; employing one hundred persons [17]. * Niels Bohr Institute in 1936: Pauli, Wolfgang; Jordan, Ernst Pascual; Heisenberg, Werner; Born, Max; Meitner, Lise; Stern, Otto; Franck, James; Hevesy, Georg von; Oliphant, Marcus Laurence, Sir; Weizsacker, Carl Friedrich von; Hund, Friedrich; Reiche, Fritz; Jensen, J. Hans Daniel; Frisch, Otto Robert; Kopfermann, Hans; Euler, Hans von; Dirac, Paul Adrien Maurice; Waller, Ivar; Peierls, Rudolf Ernst, Sir; Teller, Edward; Weisskopf, Victor Frederick; Levi, Hilde; Kramers, Hendrik Anthony; Bohr, Niels Henrik David; Rosenfeld, Leon; Wick, Gian Carlo; Hipple, John Alfred; Rasmussen, Ebbe; Placzek, George; Miller, Julius Sumner… References. [1]Taylor H.S.1930. A new research tool. Princeton Alumini Weekly XXXIV (26): 572. [2] Bleakney W. and Hipple J.A. 1935. A study of oxygen isotopes. Phys. Rev., v.47, p.800. [3] Selwood P.W., Taylor H.S., Hipple J.A., Bleakney W. 1935. Electric Concentration of Oxygen Isotopes. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 57 (4): 642–644 DOI: 10.1021/ja01307a013 [4] Herman R.C., Hofstadter R. 1938. Vibration Spectra and Molecular Structure v. Infra-Red Studies on Light and Heavy Acetic Acid. Journal of Chemical Physics (6): 534-540. [5] Viswanathan S., Mahabaleswar B. 2014. Silicate oxygen isotope geochemistry: history, principles, techniques, and application to petrological problems. Journal geological society of India, 83: 47-53. [6] Condon E.U., Morse P.M. 1929. Quantum Mechanics, New York: McGraw Hill. [7] Edward U. Condon Papers The American Philosophical Society Library Circa 1920-1974, 75.0 Linear feet [8]New York Times. 1938. April 17: Westinghouse Picks 5 For Fellowships; Columbia and Princeton Men Win Posts in Research Plan http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30710FB3C55157A93C5A8178FD85F4C8385F9&action= click&module=Search&region=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2 Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%23%2FJohn%2BA.%2BHipple%2F [9] A. N. Marquis. 1944. Hipple John Alfred Jr. Physicit. The supplement to Who's who: a current biographical reference series, Volumes 5 à 6:45 [10] Grayson M.A. 2002. Measuring Mass: from positive rays to proteins. Philadelphia, Chemical Heritage Press: 42. Worldcat: 470293624 [11] Purcell E.M. 1952. Research in nuclear magnetism Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1952 [12] Weiner C.1968. Oral History Transcript — Dr. Edward U. Condon, interview in Boulder, Colorado April 27. http://www.aip.org/history/ohilist/4997_2.html [13] Passaglia E.1966.A unique institution: The National Bureau Of Standards 1950-1969 NIST SP925_07,United StatesDepartment of Commerce, Technology Administration, National Bureau of Standards. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,DC 20402—9325 Chapter One: The National Bureau of Standards at Mid-century Second printing: 1974 p. 1-70 [14 The Pennsylvania State University Bulletin, Graduate School Announcement 1954 – 1955 vol. XLVIII February 26, 1954 N° 4, State College, Pennsylvania; 1955-1956 vol. XLIX February 25, 1955 N° 4; 1956-1957 vol. L October 26, 1956 N° 17. [15] Hipple J.A. 1956. Progress in Research 1953-1955, Bulletin 67, Mineral Industries Experiment Station. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. 70 pages [16], Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences Volume 20, Issue 1 Series II,pages 109– 140, November 1957 New Member elected June 20, 1957 Article first published online : 30 APR 2012, DOI: 10.1111/j.2164-0947.1957.tb00580.x [17] Gribbin J.H., Krogfus S.S. 1960 Industrial Research Laboratories of the United States. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences: 346. Publications. Wahl M.H., Huffman J.F., Hipple J.A. Jr. 1935. An attempted concentration of the heavy Nitrogen isotope. J. Chem. Phys. 3:434. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1749697 Delfosse J., Hipple J. A. 1938, Dissociation of C2H2D2 by electron impact.Phys. Rev. 54, 10601062 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.54.1060 Hipple, J.A.Jr. 1938 The dissociation of ethane by electron impact. Phys. Rev. 53: 530-3 Bleakney W., Hipple J.A. 1938. A New Mass Spectrometer with Improved Focusing Properties Phys. Rev. 53, 521 – Published 1 April 1938. Retrieved 2007-10-02. Doi:10.1103/PhysRev.53.521. Stevenson D.P., Hipple J.A. 1942 Ionization of Argon and Neon by Electron Impact Phys. Rev. 62, 237-240. Hipple J.A. 1942 Gas Analysis with the Mass Spectrometer Journal of Applied Physics 13: 551560. Hipple J. A., Condon E. U. 1945. Detection of metastable ions with the mass spectrometer. Phys. Rev. 68: 54–55. Hipple J.A., Grove D.J., Hickam W.M. 1945 Electronic problems involved in the practical application of the mass spectrometer.Rev. Sci. Inst. 16 (4): 69-75 doi: 10.1063/1.1770334 Hipple J.A., Fox R.E., Condon E.U.1946. Metastable Ions Formed by Electron Impact in Hydrocarbon Gases Phys. Rev. 69, 347-356 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.69.347 Thomas H.A., William T.W., Hipple J.A. 1946. A Mass Spectrometer Type of Leak Detector. Review of Scientific Instruments, 17:368. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1770399 Hipple H.A. 1947. Peak contour and half-life of metastable ions. Physical Review 71:594-599. Grove D.J., Hipple J.A. 1947.Scale Expander for Mass‐Spectrometer Recorder.Rev. Sci. Instrum. 18: 837; http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1740857 Fox R.E., Hipple J.A. 1947. Effect of temperature on the mass spectra of hydrocarbons. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 15:208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1746471 Fox R.E., Hipple J.A. 1948. The use of retarding potentials with the mass spectrometer. Review of scientific instruments, 19:462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1741297 Hipple, J.A. 1948. Spontaneous dissociation of ions. Journal of Physical Colloid Chemistry 52: 456-62. Hipple J.A., Thomas H.A., 1949. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer with varying field. Physical Review, 75:1616. Thomas H.A., Driscoll R.L., Hipple J.A. 1949. Determination of/from recent experiments in nuclear resonance. Physical Review, 75:992. Hipple J.A., Sommer H., Thomas H.A. 1949. A precise method of determining the faraday by magnetic resonance. Phys. Rev. 76: 1877-1878 Hipple J.A., Shepherd M. 1949. Mass Spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry 21 (1): 32-36. Shepherd, M., & Hipple, J. A. (1950). Mass spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry, 22(1), 23–25. DOI: 10.1021/ac60037a009 Sommer H., Thomas H.A., Hipple J.A. 1950. Values of Physical Review, 80:487. μp, F, and Mpme Using the Omegatron. Sommer H., Thomas H.A., Hipple J.A. 1951.The measurement of the e/M by cyclotron resonance. Phy. Rev. 82: 697-702 Gorman J.G., Jones E.J., Hipple J.A. 1951. Anal. Chem. 23:438. Hipple J.A. and Sommer H. 1953 Natl. Bur. Standards Circ. 522 Langer A., Hipple J.A., Stevenson D.P. 1954 Ionization and Dissociation by Electron Impact; Methylene, Methyl, and Methane J. Chem. Soc. 22: 1836.87:3793 http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1739930 Hipple J.A. 1967 Mass spectroscopy and ionization processes in “Handbook of physics “ part 7 Atomic physics Condon, Edward Uhler; Odishaw, Hugh.eds, Publisher: New York : McGraw-Hill, Edition: 2nd ed. ISBN: 0070124035; 9780070124035. Patents. Hipple, Jr. John A., Forest Hills, Pa., MASS SPECTROMETER. Application United States Patent Office: August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,395 Patented Oct. 5, 1943 I 2,331,190. assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing'Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., Pennsylvania a corporation Hipple Jr. John A. 2,417,797 Mass spectrometer. Application United States Patent Office: April 2'7, 1944. Filed March 18, 1947. US 2417797 A, cessionnaire Westinghouse Electric Corp Hipple, Jr. John A., Verona, and Donald J. Grove, AMPLIFIER FOR SMALL DIRECT CURRENTS Application March 15, 1945, Serial No. 582,936. Patented Feb. 22, 1949 -2,462,190 Pittsburgh, Pa.,assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corpora.tion, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Hipple Jr John A. Spectrometric analysis of solids. Filed 25 janv. 1952 . Patented 17 Nov. 1953 US2659821 Hipple Jr., John A. 1956 Analysis by imparting unequal energies to ions . US2764691 A http://www.google.ch/patents/US2764691