William Martin Fairbank (born 24.02.1917) is an American experimental physicist and a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1963). He was born in Minneapolis. In 1939 he graduated from Whitman College. In 1940—42 he worked at George Washington University, 1942 —45 —at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1947 — 52 — at Amherst College, in 1952 —59 —at Duke University. From 1959 he has been a professor at Stanford University.
His work concerned low-temperature physics, superfluidity, superconductivity, cryogenics and the separation of the isotopes of helium. In 1961, with B. Deaver, he discovered the quantisation of magnetic flux in superconductors, predicted in 1950 by F. London. He studied the properties of 3He and 4He, including the magnetic susceptibility of 3He, discovered phase separation in their solutions, studied second sound in superfluid helium and established the temperature dependence of its speed.
His work concerned low-temperature physics, superfluidity, superconductivity, cryogenics and the separation of the isotopes of helium. In 1961, with B. Deaver, he discovered the quantisation of magnetic flux in superconductors, predicted in 1950 by F. London. He studied the properties of 3He and 4He, including the magnetic susceptibility of 3He, discovered phase separation in their solutions, studied second sound in superfluid helium and established the temperature dependence of its speed.