[Splitting into two lines: The historical development of the analytical and the gas ultracentrifuge].

In a historical perspective the ultracentrifuge is often taken as perfect example of a research technology according to Shinn and Joerges (Shinn and Joerges 2000, 2002). Research technologies are defined by a generic device, its own metrology and the interstitiality of the historical actors connected with the device. In our paper we give a detailed analysis of the development of the ultracentrifuge and thereby reveal two different lines of development: analytical ultracentrifuges and gas ultra centrifuges used for isotope separation. Surprisingly, we could not find any interstitial and transversal connections for these two lines. The lines end up with two different devices based on two different technical concepts. Moreover, the great majority of the actors stick to one line. These results are in accordance withother authors, who developed the concept of research technologies further and tried to sharpen their definition.