Prize Recipient

John J. Bollinger
National Institute of Science & Technology

Citation:

"For successful theoretical and experimental studies of trapped cryogenic plasmas, including precise characterization of plasma modes and crystal equilibria, and direct observation of structural phase transitions."

Background:

Dr. Bollinger received his BA degree in physics and mathematics from Cornell University in 1974 and his Ph.D. in atomic physics from Harvard University in 1981. After completing his Ph.D. work, he joined the Time and Frequency Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 1984 he became a permanent staff member of the Time and Frequency Division and has been employed there ever since as part of a research group working on trapped atomic ions. Dr. Bollinger's research interests are focused on the use of stored-ion techniques for high resolution spectroscopy, time frequency standards, and the study of non-neutral plasmas. Of particular interest are the quantum limits to the measurements of atomic transition frequencies and the use of correlated atomic states to improve these limits. His experimental work has concentrated on the use of Penning-Malmberg traps to store and laser-cool ions, resulting in strongly-coupled plasma states and Coulomb crystals.

Dr. Bollinger is a member of the APS, the Optical Society of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has been a Fellow of the APS since 1991. With J. C. Berquist, W. M. Itano, and D. J. Wineland, he shared the Department of Commerce Gold medal award in 1985 and the Samuel Wesley Stratton Award (NIST award) in 1989.

Selection Committee:

Earl Marmar (Chair), John Soures, Raymond Fonck ('99 Recipient), Steven Cowley (Vice Chair), Frederick Skiff