Leon Katz (physicist)

Leon Katz (1909 – 2004) was a Canadian physicist best known for his contributions to the fields of nuclear physics and accelerator physics. He was a pioneer in the design and construction of linear accelerators, and made significant contributions to the understanding of nuclear reactions.

Katz received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Alberta, and his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology in 1936. During World War II, he worked on radar research in Canada. After the war, he joined the University of Saskatchewan, where he played a key role in the construction and operation of the betatron, one of the earliest particle accelerators in Canada.

Throughout his career, Katz made numerous important contributions to the development of particle accelerators. He was instrumental in the design and construction of the Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory (SAL), a linear accelerator facility that was used for research in nuclear physics and synchrotron radiation. He also conducted research on nuclear reactions, including photodisintegration and the properties of nuclear levels.

Katz was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and received numerous awards and honors for his work. He was a dedicated teacher and mentor, and his contributions to physics in Canada were significant. His research helped to advance the field of nuclear physics and paved the way for the development of more powerful accelerators.