Ted Gibbs Berlincourt records,
1950-2007
Repository
American Institute of Physics. Niels Bohr Library & Archives.
Papers created by
Berlincourt, Ted Gibbs
Size of collection
5 linear feet
5 records boxes
Short description of collection
This collection contains the professional papers of Ted Gibbs Berlincourt, primarily documenting his work with superconductivity. Includes invited talks and lecture notes; correspondence; memorandum; news items and advertising; government testimony and congressional hearings; proposed federal legislation; audio and video recordings of conferences and workshops; and photographs.
Language(s) of collection
English
Collection number:
AR20141411
Received Ph.D. in physics from Yale University in 1953. Project Physicist, United States Naval Research Laboratory (1952-55); Senior Physicist, Group Leader of Electronic Properties, and Associate Director of Rockwell International Science Center (1955-70); Professor and Chair of Physics Department at Colorado State University (1970-72); Director of Physical Sciences Division and Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate at the Office of Naval Research (1972-86); Director of Research and Laboratory Management at the Office of the Secretary of Defense (1986-92). Retired in 1992. Major research areas: solid state physics and high-magnetic-field superconductivity. Berlincourt’s work includes: discovery (with Richard R. Hake) of the superior supermagnet properties of niobium-titanium (Nb-Ti) alloys that constitute the windings in thousands of huge supermagnets employed in MRI medical imagers and enormous particle accelerators, experimental confirmation (with Hake) of the Ginzburg-Landau-Abrikosov-Gorkov (GLAG) theories as the correct framework for understanding high-magnetic-field superconductivity, discovery of the superconductivity peak effect, invesigations of the de Haas-van Alphen effect, and patents on supermagnets and superconducting electronics.
This collection documents the career of Ted Gibbs Berlincourt at Atomics International of North American Aviation, Incorporated and for the federal government in the Office of Naval Research and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, with an emphasis on his work in high temperature superconductivity. Major topics covered in the collection: the retirement of Cecil T. Lane; development of Nb-Zr (niobium-zirconium) and Nb-Ti (niobium-titanium) alloys; patent battle between Atomics International (Berlincourt, Richard Hake, and D. H. Leslie) and Bell Telephone Laboratories (led by J. E. Kunzler); involvement of federal government in applications of high temperature superconductivity, including the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); and congressional testimony of Craig Fields, Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Researchers must have an approved access application on file in order to access archival materials. https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/item-request.
These papers have been indexed in the
International Catalog of Sources for History of Physics and Allied Sciences (ICOS)
using the following terms. Those seeking related materials should search under these terms.
Persons
Berlincourt, Ted Gibbs
Fields, Craig, 1946-
Hake, Richard R.
Kunzler, J. E.
Lane, Cecil Taverner, 1904-
Leslie, D. H.
Institutions
North American Aviation Science Center.
North American Aviation, inc.
North American Aviation. Atomics International Division.
Rockwell International. Science Center.
Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (U.S.)
United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
United States. Office of Naval Research
Subject terms
High temperature superconductivity Congresses.
High temperature superconductivity.
Magnetic resonance imaging.
Niobium-titanium alloys.
Niobium-zirconium alloys.
Superconductivity.
Collection is arranged into 8 series. Collection is maintained in the original order in which it was received.
- Series I: Physics issues
- Series II: Nb-Zr (niobium-zirconium) and Nb-Ti (niobium-titanium)
- Series III: North American Aviation
- Series IV: Office of Naval Research (ONR)
- Series V: Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD)
- Series VI: High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics
- Series VII: Photographs
- Series VIII: Nb-Ti (niobium-titanium) projects
Collection was donated by Ted Gibbs Berlincourt in 2014.
This collection was processed by
Molly Marcusse in
2015.
Photographs were removed and deposited in the Emilio Segre Visual Archives; photocopies are maintained in the original order and location within the collection to provide context.
Two sets of VHS tapes were removed from the collection because copies were already held by the Niels Bohr Library & Archives. For a recording of the H. Kamerlingh Onnes Symposium on the origins of applied superconductivity, October 1986, see V-87-01-05. For the American Physical Society meeting session on High Temperature Super Conductivity", 1987, see AV2005-624.
Box [number], Folder [number], Ted Gibbs Berlincourt records, 1950-2007. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
Title
Finding Aid to the Ted Gibbs Berlincourt records, 1950-2007
Publisher
American Institute of Physics Niels Bohr Library & Archives
One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740
USA
nbl@aip.org
2015
Encoding Information
Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Molly Marcusse in 2015. Any revisions made to this finding aid occurred as part of the editing and encoding process.
Contains correspondence, invited talks, reprints and photocopies of articles, research notes, congressional hearings, and proposed federal legislation about superconductivity and physics in general. Also includes Yale University Physics Department news bulletins from Berlincourt’s tenure as a Ph.D. student and materials relating to the death of Cecil T. Lane.
| Box 1 |
Folder 1 |
physics issues - correspondence, May 1952 - October 1977 |
|
Folder 2 |
physics issues 1 (1 of 4), March 1950 - June 2007 |
|
Folder 3 |
physics issues 1 (2 of 4), March 1950 - June 2007 |
|
Folder 4 |
physics issues 1 (3 of 4), March 1950 - June 2007 |
|
Folder 5 |
physics issues 1 (4 of 4), March 1950 - June 2007 |
|
Folder 6 |
physics issues 2 (1 of 4), April 1960 - July 1990 |
|
Folder 7 |
physics issues 2 (2 of 4), April 1960 - July 1990 |
|
Folder 8 |
physics issues 2 (3 of 4), April 1960 - July 1990 |
|
Folder 9 |
physics issues 2 (4 of 4), April 1960 - July 1990 |
|
Folder 10 |
Department of Energy's superconducting super collider project: hearing before the subcommittee on energy research and development, April 1991 |
|
Folder 11 |
Superconducting super collider: hearing before the subcommittee on energy research and development, April 1987 |
|
Folder 12 |
Superconductivity: hearing before the committee on science, space, and technology, June 1987 |
|
Folder 13 |
Superconducting super collider project Authorization Act of 1990, April 1990 |
|
Folder 14 |
Superconductivity: hearing before the subcommittee on energy research and development, October 1987 |
|
Folder 15 |
Review of the site selection process for the superconducting super collider: hearing before the committee on science, space, and technology, April 1989 |
| Box 5 |
Folder 1 |
Applied Superconductivity Conference in Baltimore, Maryland [3 VHS tapes; removed, see V-87-01-05], October 1986 |
|
Folder 2 |
High Temperature Super Conductivity, special session at American Physical Society (APS) meeting [4 VHS tapes; removed, see AV 2005-624], March 1987 |
Contains submitted papers, timeline of development of Nb-Zr (niobium-zirconium) alloys, memorandum, correspondence, reprints, and advertisement clippings, related to the discovery of superconductivity potential in Nb-Zr (niobium-zirconium) alloys by Berlincourt, R. R. Hake, and D. H. Leslie at Atomics International. Also contains materials about the subsequent patent battle between Atomics International and Bell Telephone Laboratories over Nb-Zr (niobium-zirconium) alloys, which was won by Bell Telephone Laboratories and the discovery of superconducting potential in Nb-Ti (niobium-titanium) alloys.
| Box 2 |
Folder 1 |
Nb-Zr and Nb-Ti (1 of 2), December 1956 - October 1966 |
|
Folder 2 |
Nb-Zr and Nb-Ti (2 of 2), December 1956 - October 1966 |
Contains records from Berlincourt’s tenure with Atomics International and the North American Aviation Science Center, both part of North American Aviation, Incorporated. Includes informational texts from the Research Division, promotional materials for the Science Center, lecture notes, invited talks, meeting minutes, and notes from a course on superconductors held by Atomics International.
| Box 2 |
Folder 3 |
North American Aviation, Incorporated (NAA) (1 of 3), July 1959 - February 1970 |
|
Folder 4 |
North American Aviation, Incorporated (NAA) (2 of 3), July 1959 - February 1970 |
|
Folder 5 |
North American Aviation, Incorporated (NAA) (3 of 3), July 1959 - February 1970 |
|
Folder 6 |
North American Aviation, Incorporated: Atomics International (AI) superconductor course, undated |
Contains records from Berlincourt’s tenure at the Office of Naval Research, managing contract research programs in mathematical and physical sciences. Includes memorandum, biographical information about Berlincourt, invited talks, and lecture notes; also a VHS tape relating to superconductivity and the Strategic Defense Initiative of President Reagan.
| Box 2 |
Folder 7 |
Office of Naval Research (ONR) (1 of 3), March 1972 - July 1986 |
|
Folder 8 |
Office of Naval Research (ONR) (2 of 3), March 1972 - July 1986 |
|
Folder 9 |
Office of Naval Research (ONR) (3 of 3), March 1972 - July 1986 |
| Box 5 |
Folder 3 |
DeLauer comments on [Strategic Defense Initiative] discussions with Weinberger [1 VHS tape], undated? |
|
Folder 4 |
Berlincourt superconductivity seminar at Office of Naval Research (ONR) [1 audio cassette tape], July 1983 |
Contains records from Berlincourt’s tenure as Director of Research and Laboratory Management in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Includes memorandum, correspondence, invited talks, lecture notes, and speech calendar.
| Box 2 |
Folder 10 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 1 (1 of 5), November 1974 - September 1992 |
|
Folder 11 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 1 (2 of 5), November 1974 - September 1992 |
|
Folder 12 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 1 (3 of 5), November 1974 - September 1992 |
|
Folder 13 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 1 (4 of 5), November 1974 - September 1992 |
|
Folder 14 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 1 (5 of 5), November 1974 - September 1992 |
| Box 3 |
Folder 1 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense -- speech calendar, September 1985 - April 1992 |
|
Folder 2 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 2 (1 of 3), September 1988 - September 1991 |
|
Folder 3 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 2 (2 of 3), September 1988 - September 1991 |
|
Folder 4 |
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) 2 (3 of 3), September 1988 - September 1991 |
Contains records relating to the political developments following K. Alex Muller and Georg Bednorz’s breakthrough in high-temperature superconducting. Includes materials related to the Congressional testimony of Craig Fields, Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Berlincourt’s critique of that testimony; press release from the White House, memorandum, conference notes, invited talks, congressional hearings, newspaper clippings, proposed federal legislation, and VHS tapes of conferences, workshops, and educational programs.
| Box 3 |
Folder 5 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 1 (1 of 6), August 1983 - February 1991 |
|
Folder 6 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 1 (2 of 6) the second big superconductivity meeting including Fields testimony, October 1987 |
|
Folder 7 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 1 (3 of 6), August 1983 - February 1991 |
|
Folder 8 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 1 (4 of 6) the first big superconductivity hearing (1 of 2), June 1987 |
|
Folder 9 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 1 (5 of 6) the first big superconductivity hearing (2 of 2), June 1987 |
|
Folder 10 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 1 (6 of 6), August 1983 - February 1991 |
|
Folder 11 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics - superconductivity budget estimates, June 1987 - October 1991 |
|
Folder 12 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 2 (1 of 5), February 1987 - September 1991 |
|
Folder 13 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 2 (2 of 5), February 1987 - September 1991 |
|
Folder 14 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 2 (3 of 5), February 1987 - September 1991 |
| Box 4 |
Folder 1 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 2 (4 of 5), February 1987 - September 1991 |
|
Folder 2 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 2 (5 of 5), February 1987 - September 1991 |
|
Folder 3 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 3 (1 of 5), June 1987 - May 1992 |
|
Folder 4 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 3 (2 of 5), June 1987 - May 1992 |
|
Folder 5 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 3 (3 of 5), June 1987 - May 1992 |
|
Folder 6 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 3 (4 of 5), June 1987 - May 1992 |
|
Folder 7 |
High temperature superconductivity (HTS) politics 3 (5 of 5), June 1987 - May 1992 |
|
Folder 8 |
Superconductivity: hearing before the subcommittee on transportation, aviation and materials and the subcommittee on science, research and technology of the committee on science, space, and technology, October 1987 |
|
Folder 9 |
United States efforts to commercialize superconductivity: hearing before the committee on governmental affairs, June 1988 |
|
Folder 10 |
Proposed legislation - Superconductivity Competitiveness Act of 1988: message from the President of the United States, February 1988 |
|
Folder 11 |
Superconductivity: hearing before the subcommittee on transportation, aviation and materials of the committee on science, space, and technology, October 1989 |
| Box 5 |
Folder 5 |
Tim Carrington interview of T.G. Berlincourt (Office of the Secretary of Defense) and K. Rhyne and C. Fields (both of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agnecy, DARPA) for Wall Street Journal [1 audio cassette tape], July 1987 |
|
Folder 6 |
"Military + Space Applications of Superconductivity" workshop [4 audio cassette tapes], August 1988 |
|
Folder 7 |
"Congressional Hearings Superconductivity Unclassified" [2 VHS tapes], undated? |
|
Folder 8 |
"Race for the Superconductor" NOVA television program [1 VHS tape], March 1988 |
|
Folder 9 |
"Superconductivity: Challenge for the Future" Federal Conference on Commerical Applications of Superconductivity in Washington, DC [17 VHS tapes], July 1987 |
Original photographs removed from collection and deposited in Emilio Segre Visual Archives. Photocopies maintained in collection. Includes obituary for Sandy Grassie and correspondence from B. Verkin.
| Box 4 |
Folder 12 |
photographs [photocopies], 1949 - December 2012 |
Contains news items and advertising which illustrate the variety of ways that supermagnets have been used since the discovery of the supermagnetic properties of Nb-Ti (niobium-titanium) alloys.
| Box 4 |
Folder 13 |
Nb-Ti projects: news items and advertising (1 of 3), September 1961 - October 2006 |
|
Folder 14 |
Nb-Ti projects: news items and advertising (2 of 3), September 1961 - October 2006 |
|
Folder 15 |
Nb-Ti projects: news items and advertising (3 of 3), September 1961 - October 2006 |
|
Folder 16 |
Nb-Ti correspondence, 2010-2013 |
