About 'Us'

C.R. (Chuck) Kurkjian

Home/Business Address:

30 Foreside Common Drive,
Falmouth, ME 04105
Tel.: 207 221 3938 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              207 221 3938      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Cell: 908 963 4627
e-mail: ckurkjia@rci.rutgers.edu

I decided to initiate this web site for several reasons which will be

discussed below, but at the start, I simply want make a few personal comments:   I am in a somewhat unique position, although there are certainly at least a few others out there like me.  I have been retired from a full-time salaried postion since 1999.  Since that time I have been affiliated with the Princeton Materials Institute (PMI, now PRISM) and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Rutgers University where I a still a 'Visiting Scientist'.  I am now living in Maine and am an Adjunct Professor in the Engineering Department at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, Maine(http://eeunix.ee.usm.maine.edu/).

 I continue to have a very intense interest in doing glass research although I have essentially no funding to carry this out.  I have been aided in my efforts to continue research by friends who have agreed to collaborate with me (see below). 

Since I have no funding (except for occasional consulting), and by and large will not make any major attempts in this direction, I am not competing with anyone for grants.  I appreciate that most other 'active' researchers must compete, not only for fame and glory, but perhaps more importantly for funds. In spite of this, it is my hope that some useful sharing of information can be accomplished with the stimulation of this site. 'Office Live' is very user-friendly and I intend to keep the site very current.

Thanks,

Chuck

Education:

Rutgers University
B.Sc. Ceramics, June 1952
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sc.D Ceramics, June 1955
Thesis Title: “Ceramic-Metal Interactions”
Advisor Professor: W. D. Kingery

Research Interests:

Broad interest and experience in glass science and technology including spectroscopy of glasses, mechanical properties and fracture of bulk glasses and fibers and all aspects of glass fiber lightguides.

Professional career:

University of Southern Maine, Adjunct Professor, 2007 -

Rutgers University - Visiting Scientist, 1999-

Princeton University - Visiting Research Collaborator – 1999-2001

Bell Communications Research - Member of Technical Staff, 1994 – 1999.

Bell Laboratories - Member and Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, 1959-1994.

Sheffield University - Owens-Illinois Research Fellow, 1957 - 1959.

M.I.T. - Research Associate, 1952 - 1955, Post-doctoral Fellow, 1955-1957.

Accomplishments

Research on Spectroscopy of Glasses
Development of Ultrasonic Glasses
Development of Faraday Rotating Glasses
Development of Fluorescent Glasses
Research and Development on lightguide glasses
Research and Development on Fracture and Fatigue of Optical Fibers
Strengthening and Fusion Splicing of Optical Fibers
Composition dependence of intrinsic strength
Composition dependence of the indentation behavior of glasses
Consultant on Glass and Ceramic Problems
Publication of more than 175 papers, edited two books and two special journal issues, awarded 7 patents in these fields.

Honors

Member, National Academy of Engineering
Member, Academy of Ceramics
Fellow, American Ceramic Society
Fellow, Society of Glass Technology
Distinguished Visiting Professor, American University of Cairo (1971)
Visiting Fellow, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, U.K. (1978)
National Academy of Sciences Visiting Scholar, former U.S.S.R. (1986)
Morey Award, Glass Division, American Ceramic Society, (1987)

1.  Present Activities

Dr. Kurkjian specializes in the study of mechanical properties of inorganic glasses. This involves the measurement of fundamental properties of simple and commercial glasses and the mechanical properties and reliability of lightguide fibers.

Fiber optic studies are carried out with Prof. M.J. Matthewson in the ‘Photonic Component Reliability Group’ at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.

Studies on the strength and mechanical properties of glassy materials are carried out at Rutgers University and the University of Southern Maine and in collaboration with Prof. M.J. Matthewson at Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, Prof. R. K. Brow at the University of Missouri at Rolla, Rolla, MO; Prof. P.K. Gupta, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; Prof. M. Tomozawa, RPI, Troy, N.Y; Prof. C.G. Pantano, Penn State University, State College, Pa; Prof.D.M. Krol, U.C. Davis, Davis, CA;  Prof. M.Manghnani, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii; Dr. R.Oldenbourg, Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory (MBL); Dr. M.M Chaudhri at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England; Drs. M.M Bubnov and S.L Semjonov, FORC, General Physics Institute, Moscow, Russia; Prof. H. Aben and Andrei Errapart, Tallinn Institute of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.

2.  General Interests

a. Glass mechanics

b. Lightguide fiber mechanics and reliability

3.  Currents Projects

 a.  strength and fatigue of oxide glasses as a function of composition (w/RKB & PKG)

b.  dE/d(strain) (w/PKG, MT & MM )

c.  indentation behavior of oxide glasses as a function of composition

d.  dD/d(strain)(w/MM)

e.  stresses caused by indentation (w/MJM, RO,  HA and AE)

4.  Available specialized instrumentation

a.  2 point bend tester for fiber failure strain

b.  indentation tester (0.2 to 2000 grams with Vickers, Knoop and

conical diamond indenter tips)

c.  new: CRI-Abrio LC Polarscope for stress birefringence measurements

 

 Selected Publications on the “Mechanics of Glasses” by C.R. Kurkjian:

 

"Intrinsic Glass Strength Achieved in Fiber Splices," J. T. Krause and C. R. Kurkjian, Conf. on Opt. Fiber Commun., W 17 (1984).

"Fibre Splices with 'Perfect Fibre' Strengths of 5.5 GPa, v < 0.0l," J. T. Krause and C. R. Kurkjian, El. Letts., 21, 533 (1985).

"From Griffith Flaws to Perfect Fibers, A History of Glass Research," C. R. Kurkjian, J. Non Cryst. Solids, 73, 265 (1985).

"Impact of Small Steel Spheres on the Surface of 'Normal' and 'Anomalous' Glasses," M. M. Chaudhri and C. R. Kurkjian, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 69, 404 (1986).

"Mechanical Stability of Oxide Glasses," C. R. Kurkjian, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 102, 71 (1988).

"Strength and Elasticity of Glasses," C. R. Kurkjian, Glass '89, Proc. XV Int'l. Congress on Glass, Leningrad 327 (1989).

"Strength and Fatigue of Oxide Glasses," C. R. Kurkjian, in Rev. Sol State Sci., 3 (1989), (Proc. Indo-U.S. Workshop on "Recent Trends in the Science and Technology of Glasses")(1989).

"Chemical Kinetics Applied to the Fracture of Silica Fibers," D. Inniss, C. R. Kurkjian and D. L.Brownlow, in Ceramic Transactions 28, 569-578, (1992).

“Heat Resistant Optical Fibers Hermetically Sealed in Aluminum”, V.A. Bogatyrov, E.M.)Dianov, C.R. Kurkjian and S.D. Rumyantsev, Sov. Tech. Phys. Letts., 8, 698-99 (1992).

"Chemically Corroded Pristine Silica Fibers: Blunt or Sharp Flaws?", D. Inniss, Q. Zhong and C. R. Kurkjian, J. Am Ceram. Soc., 76 3173 (1993).

"Indentation Behavior of Soda-lime Silica Glass, Fused Silica and Single Crystal Quartz at Liquid Nitrogen Temperature," C. R. Kurkjian, G. K. Kammlott and M M. Chaudhri, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 78, 737-744 (1993).

“Strength Degradation of Lightguide Fibres in Room Temperature Water”, C.R. Kurkjian and M.J. Matthewson, El. Letts. 32, 761-2 (1996).

“Perspectives on the History of Glass Composition”, C.R. Kurkjian and W.R. Prindle, J.Am.Ceram.Soc., 81, 795-813 (1998).

“Melt coating of tin on silica optical fiber”, H.S Seo, U.C Paek, K. Oh and C.R Kurkjian, J. Lightwave Tech. 16: (12) 2355-2364 (1998).

“Residual stresses in a doubly clad fiber with depressed inner cladding”,Y. Park , K. Oh, U.C. Paek and C.R. Kurkjian, J Lightwave Tech. 17: (10) 1823-1834 (1999).

“Nanoscale roughness of oxide glass surfaces”, P.K. Gupta, D. Inniss, C.R Kurkjian and Q. Zhong, J Non-Cryst. Solids 262: 200-206 (2000).

“Mechanical properties of phosphate glasses”, C.R. Kurkjian, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 263: (1-4) 207-212 (2000).

“Humidity Dependence of the Fatigue of High-Strength Fused Silica Optical Fibers”, J.L Armstrong, M.J. Matthewson and C.R. Kurkjian, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 83, 3100
-3108 (2000).

“Strength of Carbon-coated Fibers”, C.R. Kurkjian, H. Leidecker, SPIE 4215,134-143(2000).

“Mechanical and Structural Properties of Phosphate Glasses”, M. Karabulut, E. Melnik, R. Stefan, G.K. Marasinghe, C.S. Ray, C.R. Kurkjian and D.E. Day, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 288, 8-17 (2001).

“Strength of Silica Optical Fibers with Cube Corner Indents”, S.L. Semjonov and C.R.Kurkjian,J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 283/1-3, 220-224 (2001).

“Diffusion of Moisture Through Optical Fiber Coatings”, J.L. (Armstrong)
Mrotek, M.J. Matthewson and C.R. Kurkjian, J. Lightwave Tech., 19, 988-993 (2001).

“Elastic Properties of Glasses”, C.R.Kurkjian and J. Kieffer, in Handbook of Elastic Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases, ed Levy, Bass and Stren, vol III: Elastic Propertis of Solids:theory, Elements and Compounds, Novel Materials, Technological Materials, Alloys and Building materials, Academic Press, 345-363. (2001).

“Intrinsic Strength and the Structure of Glass”, C.R. Kurkjian and P.K. Gupta, Proc. XIX Intl Congress on Glass, Edinburgh, Scotland 11-18 (2001).

“Mechanical strength of glasses – studies then and now”, C.R. Kurkjian, The Glass Researcher, 11 (2) 1-6 (1) (2002).

“Structure and the Intrinsic Strength of Glass”, R.K. Brow, N.P. Lower, A.J. Lang and C.R. Kurkjian, Glas. Ber.Proceedings of the 7th International Otto Schott Colloquium, July 7-11, 2002; Glastech. Ber. Glass Sci. Technol. 75 C2 133-138 (2002).

“The Intrinsic strength and fatigue of oxide glasses”, C.R. Kurkjian, P.K. Gupta, R.K. Brow and N. Lower, J. Non-Cryst. Solids - 316 114 -124. (2003).

“Inert failure strains of sodium aluminosilicate glass fibers”, N.P. Lower, R.K. Brow and C.R. Kurkjian, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 344, 17-21 (2004).

“Inert failure strain studies of sodium silicate glass fibers”, N.P. Lower, R.K. Brow and C.R. Kurkjian, (RPI meeting), J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 349, 168-172 (2004).

“Intrinsic failure and non-linear elastic behavior of glasses”, P.K. Gupta amd C.R. Kurkjian, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 351, 2324-2328 (2005).

Edited Books/Proceedings

Strength of Inorganic Glass, ed. C. R. Kurkjian, Plenum Press (1985).

Optical Engineering, special Issue on Fiber Reliability, eds., C.R. Kurkjian and H.H. Yuce, SPIE, Bellingham, WA (1999).

MRS Symposium Proc.531 Reliability of Photonics Materials and Structures, eds. E. Suhir, M.Fukuda and C.R.Kurkjian, MRS, Warrendale, PA.(1998).

Reliability of Optical Fibres and Components, final Report of COST 246, eds. M.Gadonna, W. Griffioen, B. Heens, H. Nauuttila, C.R. Kurkjian, H. Limberger, S Mirza, A. Opacic, P. Regio, S. Semjonov amd T. Volotinen, Springer-Verlag, London (1998).

Optical Fiber and Fiber Component Mechanical Reliability and Testing II, SPIE Proceedings vol. 4639, eds. M.J. Matthewson and C.R. Kurkjian, SPIE, Bellingham, WA (2002).

 

 

The following link contains a list of all of Chuck's publications:

/Documents/REFall.pdf

 

some of these are available from Chuck as PDF files.

March 2008 - see the new page "Chuck Kurkjian's publications"