• Theoretical Condensed-Matter Physics
• Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics
• Astrophysics and General Relativity
• Experimental Elementary Particle Physics
• Accelerator Physics
• Experimental Condensed-Matter Physics
• Biological Physics
• Multidisciplinary Research
• Major Research Facilities
• Resources for Researchers

B.A., 1956, University of Western Ontario. M.A., 1957, University of Western Ontario. Ph.D., 1963, California Institute of Technology. Assistant Professor, Physics, Cornell University, 1963-66. Associate Professor, Physics, Cornell University, 1966-71. Professor, Physics, Cornell University, 1971-present. Visiting appointments at: Stanford University; CERN, Geneva; UC-Berkeley; University of Chicago; SSC Laboratory, Dallas; University of Texas at Austin; Duke University; Rice University. Fellow, American Physical Society. Author, Geometric Mechanics, second edition, Wiley-VCH, 2007, and Accelerator X-Ray Source, Wiley-VCH, 2006.

Research Areas
Accelerator physics; electromagnetic radiation; nonlinear mechanics; computer simulation; accelerators as x-ray sources

Current Research
My recent efforts have been devoted to designing new synchrotron radiation facilities at Cornell. Either by a novel approach called "energy recovery linac" (ERL) or by more conventional methods, it should be possible to upgrade the current facility up to, and beyond, the current "state of the art". There are many theoretical issues and design problems, especially concerning ERL. Undulator radiation is especially valuable, and I have been working on how best to produce and use this radiation, especially for X-ray diffraction studies. Recent emphasis has been on calculating the effects of space charge and on designing a fast-cycling, x-ray source in the Wilson Lab tunnel.

Spotlight

Michael Ehrlichman, graduate student, is working in Professor Georg Hoffstaetter’s group researching the effect of ionized residual gas on particle accelerator beams.  Residual gas molecules ionized by charged particle beams can become trapped in the potential well of the beam.  These trapped ions exert a nonlinear focusing force on the beam that can reduce beam quality.  The ions can also undergo coupled oscillations with the beam.  These coupled oscillations can become unstable and increase the effective dimensions of the beam or ...
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