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Obituary-Professor William A Grant

Bill Grant died at the tragically early age of46 on 23 October 1987 after a year-long and debilitating illness. This he bore with fortitude and courage and maintained a lively and committed interest in his work right until the end.

Bill obtained his first degree and then his PhD in Electrical Engineering at Liverpool University where he first became involved in research in atomic collision processes in solids. After a brief lectureship appointment at Liverpool he moved to Salford University in 1968 where he started developing and using medium and high energy ion beam accelerators for property modification and composition and structure analysis of solids. Under his guidance, Salford was the first UK University to acquire a, then, state-of-the-art isotope separatorjimplanter which has been upgraded over the years and still serves as a major workhorse. Initially his research interests were associated with semiconductor substrates but then he made a major move and concentrated his efforts upon metal systems. He developed collaborative contacts and lasting friendships with Robin Procter and Vie Ashworth at

the Corrosion and Protection Centre at UMIST and collectively they undertook early definitive work on the use ofimplantation in both understanding and controlling aqueous corrosion and associated problems. It was through this contact that the International Conference series on Surface Modification of Metals by Ion beams began; Bill was initially a co-organizer and later International Committee Member of this series. His other major research interest was in phase changes induced by ion implantation and again he was involved in the early definitive

work on crystal-amorphous transitions induced by metalloid implantation into Ni and other metals. His willingness to

collaborate with experts in other disciplines, Phil Grundy at Salford and Erik Johnson in Copenhagen, was a major asset in this work.

In addition to his own research work Bill participated fully in the professional and institutional activities related to this work. He was a past Chairman of the Institute of Physics Atomic Collisions in Solids Group, during which period the Low Energy Ion Beams Conference Series was initiated, and a Deputy Editor of the journal Vrrcuum. His publications list was extensive and included a popular undergraduate (and graduate) text on ion implantation in semiconductors written with George Carter. He was also a vigorous Director of the Thin Film and Surface

Research Centre at Salford. In recognition of his research and international standing he was

appointed Reader and then, in 1984, Professor of Ion Beam Engineering at Salford. Sadly his ambitions to further develop his own and support those researih interests of his colleagues have been frustrated by his untimely death.

Bill not only had a wide circle of national and international colleagues and friends but also a happy and fulfilling family life. In addition to his widow, Mary, he leaves three teenage children, all with bright and hopeful futures because of Bill’s industry, dedication and care but who, like all of his colleagues, will miss him badly.

George Carter

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering Chiversity of Salford

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