Finding Aid for John Bardeen Papers, 1910-2018 | University of Illinois Archives

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Collection Overview

Title: John Bardeen Papers, 1910-2018

ID: 11/10/20

Primary Creator: Bardeen, John (1908-1991)

Extent: 59.4 cubic feet

Arrangement: by type of material and chronologically thereunder

Subjects: Bardeen, John, Bell Laboratories, Electrical Engineering, Faculty Papers, Harvard University, John Bardeen, Many Body Theory, Naval Ordnance Laboratory, Nobel Prizes, Princeton University, Science and Technology, Solid State Physics, Superconductivity, Theoretical Physics, Transistors, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - Science and Technology, University of Illinois Center for Advanced Study, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Xerography

Formats/Genres: Papers

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Papers of John Bardeen (1908-91), Professor of Electrical Engineering and Physics (1951-91), include publications (1930-91), dissertations and theses by Bardeen students (1952-85), correspondence (1945-70, 1972-91) and reports, certificates and diplomas for honorary degrees and honors, preprints, reprints, drafts, speeches, notes, photographs, slides, tape recorded interviews, & motion pictures (1910-91) concerning theoretical physics, solid state physics, development of the transistor, xerography, development of the theory of superconductivity with J. R. Schrieffer & Leon Cooper, Bardeen's 1956 and 1972 Nobel prizes and lectures, the applications of transistors & superconductivity, many body theory, Russian & Chinese physics research, American Physical Society, Army Research Office, Bell Laboratories & the transistor (1936-68), Center for Advanced Study, International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, Naval Ordnance Laboratory, Navy Research Office, Sony Corporation, Supertex, Inc., White House Science Council (1979-83), Xerox Corporation, electrolytic transistor invention patents (1910-60), consulting work, and the Physics Department. Correspondents include Walter H. Brattain, P. W. Bridgman, Leon Cooper, Harry G. Drickamer, H. Frohlich, Nick Holonyak, Jr. (BS '50, MS '51, PhD '54), Charles Kittel, J. R. Schrieffer (MS '54, PhD '57), Karlheinz Seeger, Frederick Seitz, William B. Shockley, & J. H. Van Vleck. Tape recorded interviews contain comments on theoretical physicists, experimental physics, theory of superconductivity, many body theory, scientific publication, education, Dr. Charles Bardeen, solid state physics, considerations in coming to Illinois, recruitment of new faculty, scientific understanding & communication between & education of non-scientists & scientists. Motion pictures include a May, 1972 interview with Bardeen, and a December, 1972 Swedish film on the contributions of Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer to the theory of superconductivity. Papers also contain Illiniwek cap.

Biographical Note

May 23, 1908 Born, Madison, Wisconsin - son of Medical School Dean Charles R. Bardeen and Althea Harmer

1923 University High and Madison Central

1928 B.S. Wisconsin, Electrical Engineering. Western Electric. Edward Bennett electrodynamics course

1929 M.S. Wisconsin, Electrical Engineering. J. H. Van Vleck

1930-33 Geophysicists, Gulf Research and Development Corporation - Leo J. Peters

1936 Ph.D. Princeton, Mathematics and Physics. E. P. Wigner

1935-38 Junior Fellow, Harvard. J. H. Van Vleck and P. W. Bridgman

1938 Married Jane Maxwell, July 18

1939-41 Assistant Professor of Physics, University of Minnesota

1941-45 Principal Physicist, U. S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory (Washington D.C.), magnetism and minesweeping

1945-51 Radar, Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey

1947 Surface physics - properties of contacts between metals of semi-conductors depend on electron behavior in surface energy levels

1948 Transistors with William B. Shockley and Walter Brattain. Point contact type

1951-75 Professor of Physics and Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois. Louis Ridenour. Xerox Corporation

1952 Transistor literature

March 1953 Fortune article on transistors

Theoretical understanding of semiconductors

Explained why metal-germanium contact gives effect of a PN junction in a emiconductor - in terms of surface energy states

1956 National Academy of Science member

1957 Theory of Superconductivity - vanishing of electrical resistance of some metals at low temperatures

1975 Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois

January 30, 1991 Died, Boston, Massachusetts

Research Areas:

Electrical conduction in semiconductors and metals; surface properties of semiconductors; theory of superconductivity; and diffusion of atoms in solids

Prizes and Honors:

1952 Ballantine Medal, Franklin Institute

1954 Buckley Prize (solid state)

1955 Scott Medal, D.Sc. Union

1956 Nobel Prize for Physics

1960 D.Sc. University of Wisconsin

1962 London Prize

1972 Nobel Prize for Physics

1974 D.Sc. University of Illinois

1977 Presidential Medal of Freedom

1987 Lomonosov Award, Soviet Academy of Sciences

1990 John Bardeen Chair in Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering Established at University of Illinois

Subject/Index Terms

Bardeen, John
Bell Laboratories
Electrical Engineering
Faculty Papers
Harvard University
John Bardeen
Many Body Theory
Naval Ordnance Laboratory
Nobel Prizes
Princeton University
Science and Technology
Solid State Physics
Superconductivity
Theoretical Physics
Transistors
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - Science and Technology
University of Illinois Center for Advanced Study
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Xerography

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: BIOGRAPHICAL],
[Series 2: PUBLICATIONS],
[Series 3: DISSERTATIONS (produced by Bardeen students)],
[Series 4: CORRESPONDENCE],
[Series 5: SUBJECT FILE],
[Series 6: MATERIALS FROM LILLIAN HODDESON],
[Series 7: CERTIFICATES, CITATIONS, AWARDS, AND HONORARY DEGREES],
[All]

Series 4: CORRESPONDENCE

Incoming and outgoing correspondence is arranged chronologically. Folders containing only outgoing correspondence are so indicated.

Box 14

Folder 1: Early Correspondence, 1945, 1947-50
Folder 2: 1950-51
Folder 3: 1952-54
Folder 4: 1954 (outgoing only)
Folder 5: January-May 1955 (outgoing only)
Folder 6: January-May, 1955
Folder 7: June-December, 1955
Folder 8: January-April, 1956
Folder 9: May-December, 1956
Folder 10: 1956 (outgoing only)

Box 15

Folder 1: January-May, 1957
Folder 2: June-December, 1957
Folder 3: January-June, 1957
Folder 4: July-December, 1957
Folder 5: January-May, 1958
Folder 6: June-December, 1958
Folder 7: January-June, 1958
Folder 8: July-December, 1958: outgoing only

Box 16

Folder 1: 1959 (2 folders)
Folder 2: January-May, 1959
Folder 3: June-December, 1959
Folder 4: 1960 (3 folders)
Folder 5: 1960 (outgoing only)
Folder 6: 1961 (2 folders)

Box 17

Folder 1: 1961 (outgoing only)
Folder 2: 1961-62
Folder 3: 1962 (3 folders)
Folder 4: 1963

Box 18

Folder 1: January-June, 1963
Folder 2: July-December, 1963
Folder 3: Personal correspondence, 1963-64
Folder 4: 1963-64
Folder 5: January-June, 1964
Folder 6: July-December, 1964

Box 19

Folder 1: 1964 (2 folders)
Folder 2: 1965 (outgoing only)
Folder 3: January-June, 1965
Folder 4: July-December, 1965
Folder 5: Europe correspondence, 1965
Folder 6: 1966 (outgoing only)

Box 20

Folder 1: January-June, 1966
Folder 2: July-December, 1966
Folder 3: 1967 (outgoing only)
Folder 4: January-June, 1967
Folder 5: July-December, 1967

Box 21

Folder 1: 1968 (2 folders)
Folder 2: 1968 (outgoing only)
Folder 3: Personal correspondence, 1968, 1986
Folder 4: 1969
Folder 5: 1969 (outgoing only)

Box 22

Folder 1: La Jolla correspondence, 1969-70
Folder 2: 1970 (4 folders)

Box 23

Folder 1: 1972
Folder 2: January-August, 1972
Folder 3: September-December, 1972
Folder 4: January-June (2 folders), 1973
Folder 5: August-December, 1973: 2 folders

Box 24

Folder 1: 1974 (2 folders)
Folder 2: January-December, 1974
Folder 3: January, 1975 - July, 1977
Folder 4: 1976 (2 folders)

Box 25

Folder 1: 1977
Folder 2: August 1977 - April, 1980 (2 folders) (outgoing only)
Folder 3: 1978 (3 folders)
Folder 4: Charge density wave correspondence, 1978-80
Folder 5: 1979

Box 26

Folder 1: 1980 (2 folders)
Folder 2: June - December (3 folders), 1982
Folder 3: 1981
Folder 4: 1981-82
Folder 5: 1982
Folder 6: Japan correspondence, 1982
Folder 7: 1982-84

Box 27

Folder 1: 1983
Folder 2: (2 folders), 1983, 1986, 1989-90
Folder 3: 1984
Folder 4: 1984-85
Folder 5: 1985
Folder 6: 1986 (2 folders)

Box 28

Folder 1: 1986-89
Folder 2: Robert E. Thorne, 1986-90
Folder 3: (2 folders), 1986 1989-91
Folder 4: 1987
Folder 5: 1987-88
Folder 6: 1988

Box 29

Folder 1: Birthday letters, 1988: contains photographs
Folder 2: 1988-90
Folder 3: 1989
Folder 4: 1989-90
Folder 5: Karl Seeger, 1989-90
Folder 6: William A. Bardeen correspondence regarding John Bardeen's death, 1991