Walter Guyton Cady Papers
name: label: Creator
content: Cady, Walter Guyton, 1874-1973 (physicist)
label: Former owner
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Electricity and Modern Physics
topic: label: Topic
content: Scientists
label: Topic
content: Resonators
label: Topic
content: Ultrasonics
label: Topic
content: Piezoelectric resonators
label: Topic
content: Physics
label: Topic
content: Professors
label: Topic
content: Piezoelectricity
label: Topic
content: Crystal devices
label: Topic
content: Physicists
label: Topic
content: Electrical science and technology
creator: label: Creator
content: Cady, Walter Guyton, 1874-1973 (physicist)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Walter Guyton Cady Papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: Papers document the work of Walter G. Cady, physicist, through research notebooks, consultant work, and patents.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Walter Guyton Cady (1874 1973) was born in Providence, Rhode Island.  He graduated from Brown University (Bachelors 1895 and Masters 1897) and from the University of Berlin (Ph. D. Physics, 1900).  Cady worked at a magnetic observatory of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey from 1900-1902. In 1902, Cady joined the faculty of Wesleyan University as a professor of physics where he remained until 1946.  During WW I, Cady used piezoelectricity—electricity or electric polarity due to pressure especially in a crystalline substance as quartz—and underwater sound to make devices that would locate enemy submarines.  From this work evolved the crystal resonator and oscillator. Piezoelectricity is utilized in microphones, phonograph pickups, and telephone communications systems.

During World War II, Cady worked on military applications of piezoelectricity.  Among the applications were supersonic trainers for radar operators, which employed piezoelectric transducers in liquid tanks to generate realistic echoes on radar indicators. In 1946, Cady published a book titled Piezoelectricity An Introduction To The Theory And Applications Of Electromechanical Phenomena In Crystals, 1946.  After his retirement in 1951 to Pasadena, California, Cady returned to Providence, Rhode Island in 1963 and was active in consulting work for industry and the Federal government.  Cady was an active member of Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE), becoming a fellow of the institute in 1927 and receiving the Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award in 1928.  He also received the Dudell Medal from the Physics Society of Great Britain in 1936.  Cady also served as an editor for the PROCEDDINGS OF IRE and as president of IRE, was Editor of the Physical Review from 1924-1926, a member of the national Research Committee, 1935-1938, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Cady's principal interests included the study of electrical discharges in gases, detection of wireless waves, piezoelectricity, ultrasonics, piezoelectric resonators and oscillators, and crystal devices.  

Cady married Kathrin Olive Miller (1883-1909) and they had one son, Willoughby Miller Cady (1907-1953), also a physicist.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 22.5 Cubic feet (73 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1903-1974
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Transferred to the Archives from the Division of Electricity (now Division of Work and Industry) on May 21, 1983.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0046
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Notebooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Divided into 11 series.

Series 1: Research Notebooks, 1896 1972

Series 2: Chapter Drafts for Piezoelectricity An Introduction To The Theory And Applications Of Electromechanical Phenomena In Crystals, 1945

Series 3: Technical Reprint Files, 1900s-1960s

Series 4: Walter G. Cady's Writings and Reviews, 1950s-1960s

Series 5: Consultant Work, 1931-1967

Series 6: Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE), 1945-1963

Series 7: Institute of Electric and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 1932-1973

Series 8: Patent Records, 1914-1974

Series 9: Books, 1887-1960

Series 10: Miscellaneous, 1949-1973

Series 11: Card Indexes, 1940s-1960s.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by James Steed, 1975
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Notebooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Consists chiefly of Cady's research notebooks on various subjects in physics and a considerable technical reprint file; some records of Cady's consultant work and patents granted.