Oral history of British science
Forrest, Michael (Part 6 of 14). An Oral History of British Science.
- Add a note
Log in to add a note at the bottom of this page.
- All notes
- My notes
- Hide notes
- Add to playlist
Log in to add this item to one of your personal lists.
- Add to favourites
Log in to add and display this item in your personal list of favourites on the right hand side of this page.
The British Library Board acknowledges the intellectual property rights of those named as contributors to this recording and the rights of those not identified.
Legal and ethical usage »
Type
sound
Duration
01:10:07
Shelf mark
C1379/48
Subjects
Physics
Recording date
2011-05-11
Recording locations
Interviewee's home, Abingdon
Interviewees
Forrest, Michael, 1934- (speaker, male)
Interviewers
Lean, Thomas (speaker, male)
Abstract
Part 6: Remarks on: enjoying technical challenge of work at Harwell, difficulties of making measurements; director Bas Pearce's support for development of diagnostics; extent of theoreticians understanding of technicalities of diagnostics; help of theoreticians on other topics; others in group with MF, such as Mike Hill, Brian Bowden and Bernard Jones; supportive technicians. [04:00] Remarks on work of scientists, experimentalists and technicians: experimentalist's position; technician activities and attributes; encouraging technicians to do further research; technician Harry Jones, a former Cunard Line chief electrician, whose lack of paper qualifications was a negative at his interview. [08:45] Remarks on daily activities: always avoiding committees; reviewing literature and talking to colleagues before starting work to avoid repeating work; story about borrowing a secret oscilloscope from a contact at Aldermaston; idea to combine Harwell and Aldermaston fusion personnel into one group at Culham, leading to unofficial contacts in weapons work at Aldermaston. [12:50] Comments on activities when he returned from GCHQ: beryllium pinhole camera work on ZETA with Alan Gibson; story about division head Bob Wilson assigning MF to work on laser scattering to measure plasma temperature, with [Alan] DeSilva and David Evans, after a letter by Tom Hughes in 'Nature'. [16:20] Remarks on: limited literature available on lasers; Tom Hughes article proposing laser scattering to measure temperatures; formation of team to investigate laser scattering, of DeSilva, David Evans and assistants Frank Page and John Ford, who later developed Hong Kong telephone exchanges; origins of Tom Hughes ideas, spotted by Bob Wilson as a possible approach; importance of skilled librarians in finding articles and patenting; [21:45] protective patenting of ideas; MF first patent on ruby rod cooling in lases; library patent officer; MF patent on splitting laser pulse optically; patents often superseded. [24:55] Comments on laser light scattering: long period spent developing a suitable laser; process of storing light in laser through Q-switching, alternatives of rotating mirror prism, Kerr cell or Pockells cell; anecdote about visiting Radar Research Establishment [RRE] at Malvern for suitable crystals; military crystals from US. [29:27] Discussion about Ruby Laser: how a laser works; having to make their own lasers at first until Korad started producing suitable ones; technical problems, cooling arrangements. [32:30] Comments on others in group: Canadian David Andrews, PhD Bristol, cultured Shakespeare fan, good data analyst with broad physics knowledge; American Alan DeSilva, sophisticated but practical American, academic appearance, but fantastic Charleston dancer; social interactions; [Closed between 35:42 – 38:48 until May 2032] John Ford, became chief project engineer of Hong Kong telephone exchange. [39:00] Remarks on: laboratory at Culham; building a straight pinch to produce plasma. [40:00] Detailed comments on back and forward electron scattering: measuring electron and ion temperatures; importance of technique to MF, published in Nature; Alan DeSilva returning to USA, David Andrews and MF continuing work. [43:00] Remarks on: baffles to filter laser light; arrangements for measuring scattered lasers using RCA photomultiplier; fast electronics Krytron vacuum tubes supplied through Aldermaston; [44:35] technical problems of laser, stray light, narrowing of laser lens. [45:15] Remarks on Culham: built to house successor to ZETA; [mic crackle]; university atmosphere, with research fellows and links to universities. [47:30] Remarks on: interaction of laser scattering team; vigorous management questioning from managers [R.S.] Bas Pease and Walter Marshall [50:10]; office arrangements and facilities; special workshops, such as glass-blowers; links into Aldermaston weapons development equipment, such as through Bill Waller; anecdote about refusing explosive camera shutters; David Evans nominally in charge, but MF having management responsibilities; MF promotion to scientific stream. [54:25] Comments on interviews at Charles II street: training by Alan Gibson; difficult questions; anecdote about friend never passing boards. [57:30] Remarks on scientific civil service: pay and pensions; few professional differences; story about considering working for Plessey on Isle of Wight; story about consultant Professor Bradley offering MF and David Evans posts at Queen's Belfast. [1:00:50] Description of ruby laser, current use of multiple lasers. [1:02:35] Remarks on: how work was seen outside group; diagnostic and machine conferences; contacts at conferences, more with Americans, such as from Los Alamos and Princeton, than French, until JET. [1:05:00] Description of building laser: flash tubes; optical switching; mirrors and coatings, advisor Professor Evans from York University; reflector advisor Dan Bradley from Imperial College; high voltage bank; technical problems; problems with stray light swamping scattered light, MF returning from retirement to work on MAST stray light system; solutions to stray light, such as baffles; laser dump and a Rayleigh glass horn.
Description
Life story interview with physicist Dr Michael Forrest.
Related transcripts
Dr Michael Forrest interviewed by Thomas Lean: full transcript of the interview
Related links
Visit this interviewee's page on the 'Voices of Science' web resource
Metadata record: