George Edward Alcorn Jr.

(born March 22, 1940)

Physics Occidental College; B.S. (1962) Physics Occidental College;
M.S. (1963) Nuclear Physics Howard University
Ph.D. (1967) Howard University in atomic and molecular physics

MEMBER
Sigma Pi Sigma, Sigma Xi , IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) Electrochemical
Society
Thesis: An Electron Impact Study of the Methylamine, Monoethylamine, Dimethylamine, and
Trimethylamine;
-Asst Director For Standards /Excellence — Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate for the
Goddard Space Flight Center.

Physicist George Edward Alcorn, Jr. is best known for his development of the imaging X-ray spectrometer. An X-ray spectrometer assists scientists in identifying a material by producing an X-ray spectrum of it, allowing it to be examined visually. This is especially advantageous when the material is not able to be broken down physically. Alcorn patented his “method for fabricating an imaging x-ray spectrometer” in 1984. He taught at Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia and worked primarily for IBM and NASA. He has over 30 inventions and 8 patents resulting in his induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2015.

He was born on March 22, 1940, to Arletta Dixon Alcorn and George Edward Alcorn, Sr., in Indianapolis. Alcorn received a four-year academic scholarship to Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics. He received his degree with honors while earning eight letters in basketball and football. Alcorn earned a Master of Science in Nuclear Physics in 1963 from Howard University, after nine months of study. During the summers of 1962 and 1963, he worked as a research engineer for the Space Division of North American Rockwell. He was involved with the computer analysis of launch trajectories and orbital mechanics for Rockwell missiles, including Titan I and II, the Saturn, and the Nova.[1] After earning a PhD in Molecular and Atomic Physics from Howard University in 1967, he went on to hold teaching positions in electrical engineering at Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia, eventually rising to the rank of full professor.

After earning his PhD, Alcorn spent twelve years working in the private sector. He held positions as a senior scientist at Philco-Ford, senior physicist at Perkin-Elmer, and advisory engineer at IBM.

Alcorn’s best-known invention is the X-ray spectrometer, which earned him the NASA–Goddard Space Flight Center award for Inventor of the Year in 1984.[2] Other significant inventions concerned plasma etching for semiconductor devices. In 1999, Alcorn was honored with an award from the Goverment Executive magazine for developing the Airborne LIDAR Topographic Mapping System (ALTMS) in partnership with the Houston Advanced Research Center.In 2015, Alcorn was inducted into the Nationa Inventors Hall of Fame for his invention of the X-ray spectrometer

His patents are the following:

PATENTS

4,172,004, 10/23/1979, Method for forming dense dry etched multi-level metallurgy with non-

overlapped vias

4,201,800, 5/6/1980, Hardened photoresist master image mask process

4,289,834, 9/15/1981, Dense dry etched multi-level metallurgy with non-overlapped vias

4,472,728, 9/18/1984, Imaging X-ray spectrometer

4,543,442, 9/24/1985, GaAs Schottky barrier photo-responsive device and method of fabrication

4,618,380, 10/21/1986, Method of fabricating an imaging X-ray spectrometer

4,062,720, 12/13/1977, Process for forming ledge-free aluminum copper silicon conductor

structure

3,986,912, 10/19/1976, Process for controlling the wall inclination of a plasma etched via hole

HONORS AND WORKS
1984 – NASA medal for helping small businesses and recruiting minorities
1984 – GSFC inventor of the uear for First Imaging Spectrometer by Thermomigration of Aluminum

Numerous Patent Awards (Canadian, European and Japanese patents)
ROMPS Group Award (NASA)– (Robot Operated Material Processing) 1995
1996 – NCTMT (NASA) Award
1998 – SBIR Program Team NASA Award
1994 – GSFC ROMPS Award
1999 – GSFC Diversity Individual Award
National Resource Award for Cost Efficient Topographical mapping, GSFC Award 1999
Distinguished Lecture Series – Tennessee State University 1994
Original mentor – Meyerhoff Program through UMBC

“In 1998, Dr. Alcorn was honored by the Howard Undergraduate assembly in its ‘Heritage of
Greatness’ Awards Ceremony. This was their salute to Black Achievers for the year 1998.

Dr. Alcorn was honored as the ‘Science and Technology’ award winner. Distinguished individuals in Politics and Activism, Entertainment, The Arts, Business, Literature and Life Achievement were also honored.”