Professor of Physics

Ph.D. (1972) University of Rochester
Professor of Physics State University of New York at Albany September 1983-present..
Director Accelerator Laboratories SUNY Albany 1989-1994
Chair Department of Physics SUNY Albany 1990-1992
Associate Professor of Physics State University of New York at Albany 1979-1983
Associate Professor of Physics Yale University 1978-1979.
Assistant Professor of Physics Yale University 1973-1978.
Assistant Professor of Physics Michigan State University January 1973-August 1973
Assistant Research Professor Physics Department. Michigan State University April 1972-December 1972

Physics of Materials:
near surface chemistry of high-vapor pressure materials (ice, acids,...), methods of ion beam analysis, electronic materials, effects of cosmic rays on electronic devices, glass surfaces, thin films, hydrogen in metals, ion beam modification, ultra-cold neutrons, energy loss and straggle, amorphous materials, multilayer thin films.

Archaeometry:
sources of materials, dating glasses, technology of materials, use of ion beams in archaeology.

Nuclear Physics:
shell model, one and two nucleon transfer direct reactions, effective interaction, beta-decay, sum rule analysis.

1. Near-Surface Region of High Vapor Pressure Materials:
The chemistry and structure of the near surface region of high vapor pressure materials (ice, acids,...). Ice is both one of the most common materials in the environment and one of the most interesting. Ice is interesting to fundamental science because it has an extended sub-surface region with properties different from those of bulk ice (the "quasi-liquid-layer"). Ice is interesting to atmospheric science because important atmospheric chemical reactions are known to occur on the surface of ice aerosols (e.g. those governing the ozone hole).
Unfortunately, because of its high vapor pressure, most of the modern analytical methods (e.g. SIMS, Auger, XPS...) used to study the surface of low vapor pressure materials cannot be applied to ice. Recently we have developed a chamber that allows MeV ion beam analysis to be made on ice held under controlled temperature and vapor at pressures up to a few Torr. (Rutherford backscattering to study the near-surface region of volatile liquids and solids.U. K. Krieger, T. Huthwelker, C. Daniel, U. Weers, Th. Peter and W. A. Lanford.Science 295 (2002)1048.) We are now beginning to use this method to study the near surface region of ice. We think this approach has the potential of making important advances in the fundamental understanding of ice (and other high vapor pressure materials) and in the modeling of atmospheric chemical reactions important to the life-preserving properties of our atmosphere.

2. Methods of Ion Beam Analysis
MeV ion beam analysis provides key analytical measurements in a number of disciplines. Best known among those developing new electronic materials, it is also making important contributions to wide variety of disciplines from fundamental physics and chemistry, to geology and environmental science, to art history and archaeology. There are always a number of ways current methods of ion beam analysis can be improved in terms of analytical properties such as mass and depth resolution, in terms of the range of materials that can be analyzed, and in terms of the quantitative accuracy of the analysis. Examples of recent improvements of ion beam analysis include development of a high energy resolution compact magnetic spectrometer. (Characteristics of Albany's Compact High Resolution Magnetic Spectrometer. W. A. Lanford, S. Bedell, S. Amadon, A. Haberl, W. Skala and B. Hjorvarsson, Nuclear Instruments and Methods B161-63 (2000) 202.), development of a chamber that allows ion beam analysis under controlled atmospheres. (Rutherford backscattering to study the near-surface region of volatile liquids and solids.U. K. Krieger, T. Huthwelker, C. Daniel, U. Weers, Th. Peter and W. A. Lanford. Science 295 (2002)1048), and improved analytical accuracy by using standard reference samples. (Use of Reference Samples for More Accurate RBS Analysis.W. A. Lanford, P. Pelicon, B. Zorko and M. Budnar, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B190 (2002) 410.) Currently we are working on precise measurements of stopping power and straggle of MeV He ions, in an RBS geometry. More precise knowledge of straggling will greatly advance interpretation of high resolution spectra.

3. Art History and Archaeology
Physical analysis of artifacts can provide important information for anthropologists studying early civilizations and art historians. The use of MeV ion beam analysis to study hydration of glass with its implications for dating of glass has been a long term interest.(Glass Hydration: A Method for Dating Glass ObjectsW.A. Lanford, Science 196 (1977) 975, and, Hydration of Obsidian,T. Laursen and W.A. Lanford, Nature 276 (1978) 153). Another type of artifact analysis is the use of trace element "finger prints" to identify the source of materials used to manufacture the object. Experiments in the area are on going, generally advanced largely by graduate students in anthropology.

One topic of current emphasis is the study of early American silver and the transition from using "coin" silver (from melting Spanish silver coins) to sterling (the long time British standard of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper). Pre-20th century American silver contains interesting impurities (lead, gold, and mercury) and an interesting sequence in the fineness of the alloy. The transition from the coin standard to sterling occurred at the same time as silver manufacture changed from products produced in small shops with one or a few smiths, to a major industrial enterprise. Study of such silver tells us not only about technology but also about how changes in technology were influenced by commercial interests.

http://www.ibl.albany.edu/

203. Characteristics of Albany's Compact High Resolution Magnetic Spectrometer.
W. A. Lanford, S. Bedell, S. Amadon, A. Haberl, W. Skala and B. Hjorvarsson, oral presentation at 14th International Ion Beam Analysis Conference, July 22-30, 1999, Dresden, Nuclear Instruments and Methods B161-63 (2000) 202.

204. Techniques for Measuring the Composition of Hydrogenated Silicon-Germanium Alloys.
B. P. Nelson, Y. Xu, J. D. Webb, A. Mason, R. C. Reedu, L M. Gedvilas and W. A. Lanford, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids 266-9(2000)680.

205. Nuclear Reaction Analysis.
Daniele Chernicak and W. A. Lanford, Invited chapter for "Non-Destructive Elemental Analysis" ed. by Zeev Alfassi, Blackwell Science, Oxford(2001) 308.

206. Characterization of Low-K Flowfill Material for Interconnect ILD Application.
H. -Q. Lu, I. B. Bhat, S. Murarka, W. A. Lanford, W. Li, W. -J. Hsia and W. G. Catabay, (2000) submitted.

207. Ion Beam Measurements of Sn/In Ratios in Indium Tin Oxide Films Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition.
X. T. Ren, M. B. Huang, S. Amadon, W. A. Lanford, M. S. Morales Paliza and L. C. Feldman, Nuclear Instruments and Methods,B174 (2001)187..

208. Processing, Characterization and Reliablity of Silica Xerogel Films for Interlayer Dielectric Applications.
A. Jain, S. Rogojevic, Feng Wang, W. N. Gill, P. C. Wayner, J. L. Plawsky, A. Haberl and W. A. Lanford. Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings 612 (2000)25.

209. Hydrogen Ion Implantation into GaAs
G. Gawlik, R. Ratajczak, A. Toros, J. Jagielski, S. Bedell and W. A. Lanford, Vacuum 63(2001)697.

210. Investigation of Blistering and Layer Transferal of Hydrogen Implanted Crystals.
S. Bedell and W. A. Lanford, Journal of Applied Physics90(2001)1138.

211. Interactions Between Silica Xerogel and Tantalum.
S. Rogojevic, A. Jain, F. Wang, W. Gill, p. Wayner, J. Plawsky, T-M. Lu, G-R. Yand, W. A. Lanford, A. Kumar, H. Bakhru and A. N. Roy, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B19(2001)354.

212. Interfacial Segregation and Barrier Layer Formation in Cu-Al Alloy Films on SiO2.
P. I. Wang, S. P. Murarka, S. J. Amadon, W. A. Lanford, Y. C. Chen and K. Rajan, Journal of Electrochemical Society (submitted).

213. Surface Segregation of Al of the Bi-layers of Pure Cu and Cu-Al Alloy Films.
P. I. Wang, S. P. Murarka, D. A. Kaminski, S. Bedell and W. A. Lanford. Journal of Electrochemical Society 148(2001)481.

214. Effects of Process Variables on Optical Properties and Composition of a-Si:C:H films. I. L. Moskowitz, W. A. Lanford, and S. V. Babu (to be submitted).

215. RBS Analysis of Trace Gas Uptake on Ice.
T. Huthwelker, U. K. Krieger, U. Weers, Th. Peter and W. A. Lanford, presented at International Ion Beam Analysis Conference, Cairns, Australia, July15-20, 2001 Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B190 (2002) 47.

216. Use of Reference Samples for More Accurate RBS Analysis.

W. A. Lanford, P. Pelicon, B. Zorko and M. Budnar, presented at International Ion Beam Analysis Conference, Cairns, Australia, July15-20, 2001, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B190 (2002) 410.

217. Rutherford backscattering to study the near-surface region of volatile liquids and solids.

U. K. Krieger, T. Huthwelker, C. Daniel, U. Weers, Th. Peter and W. A. Lanford.
Science 295 (2002)1048.

218. Interface Reactions between Hydroxylapatite and Various Metallic Implant Materials.
C. Ergun, R. H. Doremus and W. A. Lanford, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research (submitted).