Ady Hershcovitch is a plasma physicist best known for his 1995 invention, the plasma window,[1] which was later patented. (United States Patent: 5578831:Hershcovitch).[2] In the plasma window, a plasma (which is an ionized gas confined by electric and magnetic fields) separates air from a vacuum by preventing the air from rushing into the vacuum. This scientific development can facilitate non-vacuum ion material modification, manufacturing of superalloys, and high-quality non-vacuum electron-beam welding.[3][4] The device has been compared to the force field in the Star Trek TV series.[5] He is well known for his work in plasma physics at Brookhaven National Laboratory.[6][7] He has over 80 publications[citation needed] and 15 patents.[8]
Academic career
editHershcovitch earned his master's in nuclear engineering in 1975 and his Sc.D. in applied plasma physics in 1977 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[9] In 1980, Hershcovitch continued his research at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY.[10] Some of his most notable research involves development of plasma windows for transmission of synchrotron radiation and particle beams, in-situ coating techniques for Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) designed to reduce cold-bore resistivity and electron cloud formation, working on the Active Denial System (ADS) for radioactive waste transmutation and sub-critical nuclear reactors, development of electron guns with plasma cathodes, directing projects in Russia aimed at development of high charge state DC ion sources for MeV ion implanters and developing a non-vacuum electron beam and in-water techniques like welders and water purifiers.[11][12] He was an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas from 2006 to 2010 and is currently an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, NY.[13][14]
International collaboration
editIn Tomsk, Russia, Hershcovitch works as a consultant for Plasma Sources LTD.[15] He also works with the Skolkovo Foundation as a Nuclear Cluster Expert Panel Member to promote research that can result in commercial products.[16] Since 2010, Hershcovitch has also been a visiting scientist at the Riken Nishina Center in Wako, Japan.[17]
Awards and honors
editIn 1987, he received the I.R. 100 Award for the development of ion-sensitive probe and in 1996, after patenting the Plasma Window, Hershcovitch received the R&D 100 Award, both selected as one of the 100 most significant technological developments worldwide.[18] On October 1, 2007, he was elected to the American Physical Society Fellowship.[19]
Personal life
editHershcovitch is currently married to Kathy Hershcovitch and resides in Long Island, NY.[20]
Media
editHershcovitch's plasma window was featured on the History Channel program "The Universe" pertaining to Weapons of the Future.[21] The Plasma Window is featured in book by Michio Kaku titled "Physics of the Impossible".[22] New Scientist has listed the plasma window as one of the 10 impossibilities conquered by science.[23]
References
edit- ^ "Plasma Window". WikiAudio. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ^ Hershcovitch, Ady. "Method and apparatus for charged particle propagation". United States Patent Office.
- ^ "Plasma Window Technology for Propagating Particle Beams and Radiation from Vacuum to Atmosphere". Tech Briefs. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Acceleron Electron Beam, LLC, Wins Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to Commercialize New Welding Technique Developed at Brookhaven Lab". BNL News Release. Brookhaven National Laboratory.
- ^ "Hot Mettle". No. New Scientist. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ Kren, Lawrence (2004-07-08). "New "window" of opportunity for e-beam welding". Machine Design. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ Kaku, Michio (2008). Physics of the Impossible. First Anchor Books: First Anchor Books. pp. 10–11. ISBN 978-0307278821.
- ^ "United States Patent Office". US Patent Office. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "MIT Alumni Directory".[permanent dead link]
- ^ Directory and Survey of Particle Physicists. Diane Publishing. Jan 1, 1999. p. 134. ISBN 9780788175817. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Plasma Physics R&D for Some non- Fusion Physics & Industrial Applications" (PDF).
- ^ A. Hershcovitch; M. Blaskiewicz; J.M. Brennan; A. Chawla; W. Fischer; C.-J. Liaw; W. Meng; R. Todd; A. Custer; M. Erickson; N. Jamshidi; P. Kobrin; R. Laping; H. J. Poole. "Device and technique for in-situ coating of the RHIC cold bore vacuum tubes with thick OFHC*".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Stony Brook University Faculty Directory". Department of Civil Engineering Faculty. Stony Brook University. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Seven Brookhaven Lab Scientists Named American Physical Society Fellows".
- ^ Hershcovitch, Ady. "New generation of ion sources based on non-conducting solid-state matters for semiconductor industry".
- ^ "DOE-GIPP, Skolkovo foundation funding to Plasma Sources LTD" (PDF). Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH1-886 with the US Department of Energy.
- ^ A. Hershcovitch; H. Okuno; N. Fukunishi; A. Goto; H. Hasebe; H. Imao; O. Kamigaito; M. Kase; H. Kuboki; Y. Yano & S. Yokouchi (March 2011). "Low-Z gas stripper as an alternative to carbon foils for the acceleration of high-power uranium beams". Physical Review Special Topics: Accelerators and Beams. 14 (3): 033503. Bibcode:2011PhRvS..14c3503O. doi:10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.14.033503.
- ^ "BNL Wins R&D 100 Award for 'Plasma Window" (PDF). Vol. 50, no. 41. Brookhave Bulletin. United States Department of Energy -- Brookhaven National Laboratory. October 18, 1996. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Seven Brookhaven Lab Scientists Named American Physical Society Fellows".
- ^ "MIT Alumni Directory: Personal Life".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Weapons of the Future". The History Channel.
- ^ Kaku, Michio (2008). Physics of the Impossible. First Anchor Books: First Anchor Books. pp. 10–11. ISBN 978-0307278821.
- ^ "10 impossibilities conquered by science". New Scientist. Retrieved 2017-02-28.