Realizing the Potential of Quarkonium

Abstract

I recall the development of quarkonium quantum mechanics after the discovery of $\Upsilon$. I emphasize the empirical approach to determining the force between quarks from the properties of $c\bar{c}$ and $b\bar{b}$ bound states. I review the application of scaling laws, semiclassical methods, theorems and near-theorems, and inverse-scattering techniques. I look forward to the next quarkonium spectroscopy in the $B_{c}$ system.