Sean C. O’Brien

20.4k total citations · 7 hit papers
22 papers, 15.9k citations indexed

About

Sean C. O’Brien is a scholar working on Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Materials Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. According to data from OpenAlex, Sean C. O’Brien has authored 22 papers receiving a total of 15.9k indexed citations (citations by other indexed papers that have themselves been cited), including 9 papers in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, 9 papers in Materials Chemistry and 8 papers in Organic Chemistry. Recurrent topics in Sean C. O’Brien's work include Fullerene Chemistry and Applications (6 papers), Atomic and Molecular Physics (4 papers) and Advanced Chemical Physics Studies (4 papers). Sean C. O’Brien is often cited by papers focused on Fullerene Chemistry and Applications (6 papers), Atomic and Molecular Physics (4 papers) and Advanced Chemical Physics Studies (4 papers). Sean C. O’Brien collaborates with scholars based in United States and United Kingdom. Sean C. O’Brien's co-authors include R. F. Curl, J. R. Heath, R. E. Smalley, Harold W. Kroto, Frank K. Tittel, R. E. Smalley, Chenyu Pan, Michael M. Haley, L. P. F. Chibante and Norman E. Byrne and has published in prestigious journals such as Nature, Journal of the American Chemical Society and The Journal of Chemical Physics.

In The Last Decade

Sean C. O’Brien

20 papers receiving 15.2k citations

Hit Papers

5 papers align trajectories

What are hit papers?

Hit papers significantly outperform the citation benchmark for their cohort. A paper qualifies if it has ≥500 total citations, achieves ≥1.5× the top-1% citation threshold for papers in the same subfield and year (this is the minimum needed to enter the top 1%, not the average within it), or reaches the top citation threshold in at least one of its specific research topics.

C60: Buckminsterfullerene

1985 12.1k citations Harold W. Kroto, J. R. Heath et al. Nature profile →
Lanthanum complexes of spheroidal carbon shells

1985 964 citations J. R. Heath, Sean C. O’Brien et al. Journal of the American Chemical Society profile →
Efficient production of C60 (buckminsterfullerene), C60H36, and the solvated buckide ion

1990 806 citations R. E. Haufler, J. Conceição et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry profile →
Photophysics of buckminsterfullerene and other carbon cluster ions

1988 439 citations Sean C. O’Brien, J. R. Heath et al. The Journal of Chemical Physics profile →
Reactivity of large carbon clusters: spheroidal carbon shells and their possible relevance to the formation and morphology of soot

1986 409 citations Sean C. O’Brien, J. R. Heath et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry profile →
Supersonic cluster beams of III–V semiconductors: GaxAsy

1986 232 citations Sean C. O’Brien, J. R. Heath et al. The Journal of Chemical Physics profile →
Photophysics of metal complexes of spheroidal carbon shells

1988 190 citations J. L. Elkind, Sean C. O’Brien et al. Journal of the American Chemical Society profile →

Peers — A (Enhanced Table)

Peers by citation overlap · career bar shows stage (early→late) cites · hero ref

Name	h						Papers	Cites
Sean C. O’Brien United States	14	12.2k	9.7k	3.3k	1.8k	1.4k	22	15.9k
J. R. Heath United States	16	11.6k 1.0×	9.0k 0.9×	3.5k 1.1×	1.8k 1.0×	1.4k 1.0×	19	15.5k
Yohji Achiba Japan	63	12.0k 1.0×	7.8k 0.8×	4.6k 1.4×	2.3k 1.3×	2.1k 1.5×	345	15.8k
Donald S. Bethune United States	45	10.5k 0.9×	5.7k 0.6×	2.5k 0.8×	4.2k 2.3×	1.6k 1.1×	93	15.2k
Shigeru Nagase Japan	76	16.7k 1.4×	18.1k 1.9×	4.8k 1.5×	3.1k 1.7×	1.2k 0.9×	654	25.3k
Francesco Zerbetto Italy	61	9.1k 0.7×	9.3k 1.0×	3.7k 1.1×	3.2k 1.8×	2.5k 1.8×	437	18.4k
Mattanjah S. de Vries United States	43	5.8k 0.5×	3.9k 0.4×	3.5k 1.1×	877 0.5×	917 0.6×	135	10.6k
Stephan Irle Japan	62	10.6k 0.9×	3.2k 0.3×	1.7k 0.5×	2.7k 1.5×	1.0k 0.7×	293	14.0k
Manfred M. Kappes Germany	71	14.0k 1.2×	4.7k 0.5×	6.4k 1.9×	3.4k 1.9×	3.6k 2.5×	467	20.0k
Gotthard Seifert Germany	82	19.2k 1.6×	4.8k 0.5×	6.9k 2.1×	7.7k 4.3×	2.3k 1.6×	435	28.6k
Harold W. Kroto United Kingdom	76	25.6k 2.1×	18.3k 1.9×	6.5k 2.0×	4.9k 2.8×	3.3k 2.3×	375	35.4k

Countries citing papers authored by Sean C. O’Brien

Since Specialization

Citations

This map shows the geographic impact of Sean C. O’Brien's research. It shows the number of citations coming from papers published by authors working in each country. You can also color the map by specialization and compare the number of citations received by Sean C. O’Brien with the expected number of citations based on a country's size and research output (numbers larger than one mean the country cites Sean C. O’Brien more than expected).

Fields of papers citing papers by Sean C. O’Brien

Since Specialization

Physical SciencesHealth SciencesLife SciencesSocial Sciences

This network shows the impact of papers produced by Sean C. O’Brien. Nodes represent research fields, and links connect fields that are likely to share authors. Colored nodes show fields that tend to cite the papers produced by Sean C. O’Brien. The network helps show where Sean C. O’Brien may publish in the future.

Co-authorship network of co-authors of Sean C. O’Brien

This figure shows the co-authorship network connecting the top 25 collaborators of Sean C. O’Brien. A scholar is included among the top collaborators of Sean C. O’Brien based on the total number of citations received by their joint publications. Widths of edges represent the number of papers authors have co-authored together. Node borders signify the number of papers an author published with Sean C. O’Brien. Sean C. O’Brien is excluded from the visualization to improve readability, since they are connected to all nodes in the network.

All Works

Sort: Min cites: Since: Top N: Style:

20 of 20 papers shown

O’Brien, Sean C., et al.. (2025). Influence of 3D printing parameters on ULTEM 9085 mechanical properties using experimentation and machine learning. 2(1).

O’Brien, Sean C., et al.. (2020). α‐Amidoaldehydes as Substrates in Rhodium‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Alkyne Hydroacylation: The Synthesis of α‐Amidoketones. Chemistry - A European Journal. 26(51). 11710–11714. 5 indexed citations

O’Brien, Sean C., et al.. (2003). OPC on real-world circuitry. Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE. 5042. 107–107. 2 indexed citations

O’Brien, Sean C., et al.. (2001). Exposure latitude requirements for high yield with photon flux-limited laser sources. Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE. 4346. 534–534. 4 indexed citations

O’Brien, Sean C., Carter Kittrell, James L. Kinsey, & Bruce R. Johnson. (1992). Spectroscopy and dynamics of resonance Raman scattering by iodobenzene excited in the B continuum. The Journal of Chemical Physics. 96(1). 67–76. 25 indexed citations

Haufler, R. E., J. Conceição, L. P. F. Chibante, et al.. (1991). ChemInform Abstract: Efficient Production of C60 (Buckminsterfullerene), C60H36, and the Solvated Buckide Ion.. ChemInform. 22(12). 1 indexed citations

Haufler, R. E., J. Conceição, L. P. F. Chibante, et al.. (1990). Efficient production of C60 (buckminsterfullerene), C60H36, and the solvated buckide ion. The Journal of Physical Chemistry. 94(24). 8634–8636. 806 indexed citations breakdown →

O’Brien, Sean C., J. R. Heath, R. F. Curl, & R. E. Smalley. (1988). Photophysics of buckminsterfullerene and other carbon cluster ions. The Journal of Chemical Physics. 88(1). 220–230. 439 indexed citations breakdown →

Elkind, J. L., et al.. (1988). Photophysics of metal complexes of spheroidal carbon shells. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 110(13). 4464–4465. 190 indexed citations breakdown →

10.

Heath, J. R., et al.. (1987). The formation of long carbon chain molecules during laser vaporization of graphite. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 109(2). 359–363. 198 indexed citations

11.

O’Brien, Sean C., et al.. (1986). Reactivity of large carbon clusters: spheroidal carbon shells and their possible relevance to the formation and morphology of soot. The Journal of Physical Chemistry. 90(4). 525–528. 409 indexed citations breakdown →

12.

Liu, Y., Sean C. O’Brien, Qi Zhang, et al.. (1986). Negative carbon cluster ion beams: New evidence for the special nature of C60. Chemical Physics Letters. 126(2). 215–217. 72 indexed citations

13.

O’Brien, Sean C., et al.. (1986). Supersonic cluster beams of III–V semiconductors: GaxAsy. The Journal of Chemical Physics. 84(7). 4074–4079. 232 indexed citations breakdown →

14.

O’Brien, Sean C., J. R. Heath, Harold W. Kroto, R. F. Curl, & R. E. Smalley. (1986). A reply to “magic numbers in C+ and C− abundance distribution” based on experimental observations. Chemical Physics Letters. 132(1). 99–102. 49 indexed citations

15.

Heath, J. R., Yuan Liu, Sean C. O’Brien, et al.. (1985). Semiconductor cluster beams: One and two color ionization studies of Six and Gex. The Journal of Chemical Physics. 83(11). 5520–5526. 190 indexed citations

16.

Kroto, Harold W., J. R. Heath, Sean C. O’Brien, R. F. Curl, & R. E. Smalley. (1985). C60: Buckminsterfullerene. Nature. 318(6042). 162–163. 12126 indexed citations breakdown →

17.

Geusic, M. E., Michael D. Morse, Sean C. O’Brien, & R. E. Smalley. (1985). Surface reactions of metal clusters I: The fast flow cluster reactor. Review of Scientific Instruments. 56(11). 2123–2130. 156 indexed citations

18.

Heath, J. R., et al.. (1985). Lanthanum complexes of spheroidal carbon shells. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 107(25). 7779–7780. 964 indexed citations breakdown →

19.

Morse, Michael D., M. E. Geusic, Sean C. O’Brien, & R. E. Smalley. (1985). Photofragmentation processes in metal—ligand complexes: benzene—tungsten and bis-benzene—tungsten. Chemical Physics Letters. 122(3). 289–293. 3 indexed citations

20.

O’Brien, Sean C., et al.. (1984). Argon isotope effect in the microwave spectra of argon hydrogen fluoride (ArHF). The Journal of Physical Chemistry. 88(22). 5142–5143. 13 indexed citations

Rankless uses publication and citation data sourced from OpenAlex, an open and comprehensive bibliographic database. While OpenAlex provides broad and valuable coverage of the global research landscape, it—like all bibliographic datasets—has inherent limitations. These include incomplete records, variations in author disambiguation, differences in journal indexing, and delays in data updates. As a result, some metrics and network relationships displayed in Rankless may not fully capture the entirety of a scholar's output or impact.

Explore authors with similar magnitude of impact