Distinguished chemist whose use of light to identify the electronic structure of crystals led to breakthroughs in nuclear science
The chemist Bob Denning was one of the most distinguished practitioners in using light as a tool for probing the fine detail of chemical bonding in inorganic materials. Perfecting high-resolution spectroscopic techniques at low temperatures, Denning was able to identify the electronic structure of crystals with precision.
One of his early important contributions in the 1970s lay in unravelling the complicated energy levels in compounds of actinide elements, especially those of uranium and neptunium. The latter are crucial for nuclear technology, and their electronic spectra were measured first as part of the Manhattan Project in the Second World War.