Albert W. Overhauser

Stuart Distinguished Professor of Physics

Current Research:

Theory of superconductivity; broken symmetry in metals (spin density waves and charge density waves), lattice dynamics; supercooling of atoms in optical molasses; collective effects in optical absorption, neutron diffraction. Superconductivity, muon depolarization.

Previous Research Area(s):

Nuclear and paramagnetic resonance; magneto-transport theory, many-electron theory, imperfections in solids; neutron interferometry; microcalorimetry, modulation spectroscopy; exciton theory; ultrasonic generation; magnetism in metals and alloys.

Total Number of PH.D. Theses Supervised: 20

Number of Current PH.D. Students: 1

Total Number of Refereed Publications: 178

Current Funding: NSF - Theory of Interacting Fermi Systems

Education

• A.B., Physics, University of California, Berkeley, 1948
• Ph.D., Physics, University of California, Berkeley, 1951

Honors, Awards, and Other Recognition

• Fellow, the American Physical Society
• Member, National Academy of Sciences
• Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Board of Editors, Journal of Applied Physics, 1971-74
• Buckley Prize of the American Physical Society, 1975
• Sigma Xi Faculty Research Prize, Purdue University, 1977
• Visiting Scientist of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 1978
• Herbert Newby McCoy Award, Purdue University, 1978
• Doctor of Science (Honorary), University of Chicago, 1979
• Doctor of Laws (Honorary), Simon Fraser University, 1998
• Humboldt Senior U.S. Scientist Award, 1979
• Counselor at Large, American Physical Society, 1982-86
• National Medal of Science (Awarded bythe President of the USA), 1994

Professional Experience

• Professor of Physics, Purdue University, 1973-present
• Manager, Assistant Director and Director, Physical Science Laboratory, Scientific Research Staff, Ford Motor Co., 1958-73
• Assistant and Associate Professor of Physics, Cornell University, 1953-58
• Research Associate, University of Illinois, 1951-53

Selected Publications

1. J.-J. Kim, A.W. Overhauser, ``Magnetic Impurities in Superconductors: A Theory with Different Predictions," Phys. Rev. B 49, 15799-15812, 1994.
2. M.L. Huberman, A.W. Overhauser, ``Electronic Kapitza Conductance at a Diamond-Pb Interface," Phys. Rev. B 50, 2865-2873, 1994.
3. A.W. Overhauser, ``Pair-correlation Function of an Electron Gas," Can. J. Physics 73, 683-686, 1995.
4. A.W. Overhauser, ``Dynamic Nuclear Polarization," Encyclopedia of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Vol. I, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 513-516, 1996.
5. A.W. Overhauser, ``Exotic Magnetism and Superconductivity in Lead," Condensed Matter Theories, Vol. 11, Nova Science Publishers (in press).
6. M.-A. Park, A.W. Overhauser, ``Microwave Surface Resistance of Potassium in a Perpendicular Magnetic Field: Effects of the Charge Density Wave," Phys. Rev. B 54, 1597-1609, 1996.
7. D.C. Marinescu and A.W. Overhauser,``Thermoelectric Flux in Superconducting Rings," Phys. Rev. B 55, 11637-11645, 1997.
8. M.-A. Park and A.W. Overhauser, ``Cyclotron-Resonance Transmission through Potassium in a Perpendicular Magnetic Field: Effects of the Charge-Density-Wave," Phys. Rev. B 55, 1398-1407, 1997.

Highlights of Recent Work

Theory of CDW-SDW mixing. Determination of the low-temperature crystal structure of Li. Discovery of exact exchange and correlation potentials for large wave vectors. Theory of the residual-resistivity anisotropy in Na and K. Discovery of dynamic shell-vibration effects in interband optical absorption. Development of the plasmon-pole and paramagnon-pole model of an electron liquid. Theory of perpendicular-field cyclotron resonance in K. Direct observation of the CEW in K by neutron diffraction. Dynamic pseudo-potential theory of phonons in metal. Discovery and theory of the magnetoserpentine effect in single-crystal K. Explanation of the Coulomb pseudo-potential in singlet superconductivity. Theory of superconductivity and SDW's. Theory of STM tunneling spectra near a superconducting vortex. Theory of SDW anomalies in the lattice dynamics of Pb. Design of a far-infrared array-detector for the large deployable reflector. Theory of super-allowed electro-quadrupole transitions of ions in crystals. Theory of impure superconductors. Magnetotransmission of microwaves in potassium. Thermoelectric flux in superconducting rings.