50 years of Neutron Scattering

IUCr Newsletter (1998). 6(3), 11.

A symposium honoring George Bacon on his 80th birthday was organized at the U. of Sheffield where George was Professor of Physics for 18 years and Dean of the Fac. of Pure Science. George built the first neutron diffractometer in the UK at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (Harwell) and used it in the first neutron diffraction experiments to be performed outside the US. He publicized the use of neutron scattering through his papers, review articles, and his classic textbooks. M. Johnson's symposium presentation "Neutron and numerical methods" showed how a combination of neutron diffraction, neutron spectroscopy and numerical modeling leads to deeper insight into the structures and dynamics of materials. Johnson illustrated this with fascinating film sequences of moving and vibrating atoms. Describing "Liquid semiconductors, then and now", J. Enderby (Bristol) reminded the audience that the most fruitful progress is often made when neutron data are combined with the results from bulk (in this case electrical) measurements. The meeting was sponsored by the British Crystallographic Assn, the Neutron Scattering Group of the Inst. of Physics and of the Royal Soc. of Chemistry.

Neil Cowlam, BCA Newsletter