Harold R. Kaufman
Encyclopedia
Harold R. Kaufman is an American physicist
, noted for his development of electrostatic ion thruster
s for NASA during the 1950s and '60s. Kaufman developed a compact ion source
based on electron bombardment, the "Kaufman ion source," a variant of the duoplasmatron
, for the purpose of spacecraft
propulsion
.
Born in Audubon, Iowa
, USA, in 1926, Kaufman grew up in Evanston, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago
. He trained in electrical engineering during WWII through an electronic technician program in the US Navy. After the war ended, he took a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University
. After college he joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA), the predecessor of NASA
, working on turbo jet engines at the Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland.
He then moved to a group studying electric space propulsion. After concluding that a Von Ardenne source was insufficient, he developed the electron bombardment source in 1958/59., and was responsible for the development of two ion thrusters that were tested in space (SERT-1 and SERT-II missions). The Kaufman ion source is now also used for other applications, such as ion implanter
s used in semiconductor
processing.
He was awarded an Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award by NASA in 1971.
Kaufman was awarded a Ph.D. from Colorado State University
in 1970, joining the university as staff in 1974.
He left academia in 1984 to work at Kaufman & Robinson, Inc., in Fort Collins, Colorado
, and invented the end-Hall ion source in 1989.
In 1991, the AVS awarded him its John A. Thornton Memorial Award.
He is a Professor Emeritus of the CSU department of physics
.
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...
, noted for his development of electrostatic ion thruster
Ion thruster
An ion thruster is a form of electric propulsion used for spacecraft propulsion that creates thrust by accelerating ions. Ion thrusters are categorized by how they accelerate the ions, using either electrostatic or electromagnetic force. Electrostatic ion thrusters use the Coulomb force and...
s for NASA during the 1950s and '60s. Kaufman developed a compact ion source
Ion source
An ion source is an electro-magnetic device that is used to create charged particles. These are used primarily to form ions for mass spectrometers, optical emission spectrometers, particle accelerators, ion implanters and ion engines.- Electron ionization :...
based on electron bombardment, the "Kaufman ion source," a variant of the duoplasmatron
Duoplasmatron
Duoplasmatron, an invention of Manfred von Ardenne, is a type of ion beam source. The duoplasmatron operates as follows: a cathode filament emits electrons into a vacuum chamber. A gas such as argon is introduced in very small quantities into the chamber, where it becomes charged or ionized through...
, for the purpose of spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
propulsion
Spacecraft propulsion
Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. There are many different methods. Each method has drawbacks and advantages, and spacecraft propulsion is an active area of research. However, most spacecraft today are propelled by forcing a gas from the...
.
Born in Audubon, Iowa
Audubon, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 2,176 in the city, with a population density of . There were 1,106 housing units, of which 961 were occupied....
, USA, in 1926, Kaufman grew up in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, a suburb of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He trained in electrical engineering during WWII through an electronic technician program in the US Navy. After the war ended, he took a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. After college he joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and...
(NACA), the predecessor of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, working on turbo jet engines at the Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland.
He then moved to a group studying electric space propulsion. After concluding that a Von Ardenne source was insufficient, he developed the electron bombardment source in 1958/59., and was responsible for the development of two ion thrusters that were tested in space (SERT-1 and SERT-II missions). The Kaufman ion source is now also used for other applications, such as ion implanter
Ion implantation
Ion implantation is a materials engineering process by which ions of a material are accelerated in an electrical field and impacted into another solid. This process is used to change the physical, chemical, or electrical properties of the solid...
s used in semiconductor
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
processing.
He was awarded an Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award by NASA in 1971.
Kaufman was awarded a Ph.D. from Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
in 1970, joining the university as staff in 1974.
He left academia in 1984 to work at Kaufman & Robinson, Inc., in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
, and invented the end-Hall ion source in 1989.
In 1991, the AVS awarded him its John A. Thornton Memorial Award.
He is a Professor Emeritus of the CSU department of physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
.
