| Citation | Distinguished for the development and application of the technique of atom probe analysis for the study of the structure and composition of materials on the atomic scale. Dr. Smith contributed substantially to the design of the VG commercial atom probe based on the Oxford instrument, and he and his group have led the development of the technique transforming it into one of the most powerful methods for microanalysis with wide application. The Oxford Group have applied the technique to metals and alloys, semiconductors and catalysts. More recently he and his group have pioneered the Position Sensitive Atom Probe which gives uniquely three dimensional data on chemical composition on the atomic scale. The Oxford Group is recognised as the leading research group in this field in the world. Dr. Smith was awarded the Beilby Medal and Prize in 1985. |