INSIDE: February 2002 PHYSICS NEWS NEWS Volume 11, No. 2 IN 2001 A Publication of The American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/apsnews

Electronic Reminders Biophysics Help Boost Membership, Workshop Planned for Voting Rates Fall 2002 APS membership for fiscal year new members coming in stayed The APS, together with its Di- 2002 is up by almost 500 members roughly the same this year,” she vision of Biological Physics, is compared to the same time last says. “We seem to be doing better organizing a topical conference year. An end-of-year count shows at retaining members once they entitled “Opportunities in Biology that the total number of members join,” something she ascribes to for Physicists,” to be held Sep- now stands at 42,007, compared “increased communication with tember 27-29 2002 in Boston, to 41,570 in fiscal year 2001. Trish members and a great membership Massachusetts. The conference Lettieri, APS Director of Member- staff who are eager to respond to is aimed primarily at graduate ship, attributes the increase in part member inquiries.” students and postdocs who are to a series of electronic renewal Electronic reminder notices reported that response was up 24% August shows sharp spikes coincid- considering moving their areas notices that are sent out to current also proved useful in boosting the over last year, with 23.4% of the ing with electronic reminder of research concentration to members during their renewal number of ballots cast in the an- APS membership voting, compared notices sent to the entire member- biological topics, not at those cycle, and followed up by personal nual APS general election. The to 18.9% in 2000. A breakdown of ship, clearly demonstrating the who already work in the field of phone calls to any members who 2001 election marked the first time votes cast from June 15th through effectiveness of the practice. biological physics or biophysics. don’t renew. A special half price the Society offered the option of Attendance will be limited to membership offer, available to new online voting, and APS members about 250 participants. Unlike APS members and valid through showed an overwhelming prefer- the Society’s more traditional this month, also helped boost ence for that option. Only 13.2% Hurricane Physics, Biofluid meetings, this conference is not membership totals. of the total ballots cast last year intended to be a place where sci- Lettieri reports that there was were in the traditional paper for- Mechanics Highlight 2001 entists present their own new also no noticeable downward trend mat, with 86.8% being cast DFD Meeting research. Rather, leading physi- in renewal rates in the aftermath electronically. cists and biologists will be asked of the September 11th terrorist at- More importantly, the 2001 elec- The latest research results in APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, to give broad overviews of their tacks in New York and Washington, tion halted a three-year trend of biofluid mechanics, hurricane held November 18- 20, 2001, in San selected areas of expertise at the DC, and that the increase is mostly declining voter participation. Sur- physics and particle simulation Diego, California. The technical interface between physics and due to higher retention rates for vey and Ballot Systems, Inc., which flows were among the papers fea- program featured eight invited lec- biology. There will also be lec- existing members. “The number of handles the election process, tured at the annual meeting of the tures and four mini-symposia on tures offering practical advice on cutting-edge research topics in fluid how to move from physics into dynamics, as well as more than 950 the physics-biology interface, contributed abstracts and the an- and an afternoon reception for nual Gallery of Fluid Motion. INSIDE THE BELTWAY: those who fund biological phys- Physics of Hurricanes ics research and those who hire A Washington Analysis biological physicists to meet with Understanding the physics of the participants and to display the air/sea interface is a critical posters or set up booths. component of understanding hur- Five topics have been selected European Evolution May Challenge American Science ricanes, which draw their energy for emphasis: genomics and evo- By Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs from the thermodynamic disequi- lution, biological networks, librium that ordinarily exists biomolecular dynamics, high- Whether the Antiballistic Missile that it will be nothing more than an Several weeks ago, I had the between the tropical oceans and resolution imaging of living cells, Defense Treaty is a relic of the Cold artifact of history when the United opportunity to meet Vladimir the atmosphere. The maximum and physical devices for biologi- War, as its critics charge, or a pillar States unilaterally withdraws from Pozner, a Moscow TV news celeb- wind velocity depends on maintain- cal investigation. Each of these of international security, as its de- the pact this spring. rity well known for his live ing a sensitive balance between the topics is an area that offers sig- fenders claim, President Bush, with To date, the debate over the people-to-people talk shows with production of mechanical energy nificant opportunities for the one stroke of his pen, has ensured Bush decision has focused heavily Phil Donahue during the and frictional dissipation in the at- techniques and problem-solving on the consequences for nuclear Gorbachev era. His views on how mospheric boundary layer, which skills of physicists. Carrying the Torch non-proliferation and arms races the September 11 attacks have re- in turn depends on the fluxes of “We hope that this workshop throughout the world. That may be shaped Russian attitudes are worth momentum and enthalpy through will help introduce young physi- appropriate for the near term, but considering. the sea surface. Yet little is know cists to the great opportunities in the long term the greater impact For most of its history, Pozner about such fluxes at extreme wind that exist in modern biology, and could well be on economic and argues, Russia straddled the Euro- speeds. Kerry Emanuel of the Mas- catalyze the enrichment that geopolitical realignment. And that Asian divide, striking a staunchly sachusetts Institute of Technology modern biology can bring to could have a profound effect on independent course, one that was described recent laboratory ex- physics,” said Robert Austin international science. neither European nor Asian in out- periments designed to better (Princeton University), who is Early into the Bush Administra- look. Russian cultural and political quantify flux wind speed relations chairing the program committee tion, White House decisions on unilateralism reached its height and to explore possible control of biological weapons, the Kyoto pro- during the hegemony of the Soviet See DFD MEETING on page 5 See BIOPHYSICS on page 7 tocols, International Monetary Union. Fund policies, and a host of less vis- The collapse of Communism ible foreign affairs and defense and the disintegration of the USSR stances had most of the world con- jolted the Russian psyche and led Highlights

Alicia Chang vinced that the US was on an to a reexamination of Russia’s geo- isolationist binge. graphic identity. The 1990’s, Francis Slakey, the APS associate di- The September 11 attacks on Pozner says, produced a strong 4 8 rector of public affairs, wields his Olympic torch with pride on the steps the Twin Towers and the Pentagon Western tilt. But Western, he cau- The Back of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. temporarily altered both the per- tions, does not mean American. Page: ception and the reality. But Russia, according to Pozner, was Daniel S. The torch reached the DC area on Greenberg on st December 21 before continuing on to suspicion of American policies re- well primed to come to the aid of Zero Gravity Science, Philadelphia on its way to its ultimate mains strong, in Europe and Russia, the US in combatting Islamic Mad Scientist Love Song Money and destination of Salt Lake City. Politics as well as in the Islamic world. See BELTWAY on page 3 2 February 2002 NEWS

This Month in Physics History February 1996: Deep Blue vs. Gary Kasparov “ It’s relatively unlikely that bin —Irwin Shapiro, Harvard Smithsonian Laden actually acquired a crude Observatory, on the implications of the nuclear weapon, or even significant Bush Administration’s plan to shift fund- Ever since the introduction of computer problems. The Deep Blue 6, Kasparov made a disastrous amounts of weapons- grade fissile ing of the observatory to the NSF, New the sentient computer HAL in project was born. mistake, allowing Deep Blue to material, but that is not a set of cir- York Times, December 11, 2001 Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space In order to build a chess playing sacrifice a knight and obtain an cumstances that engenders either ✶✶✶ Odyssey, the explosive advances computer capable of testing the overwhelming positional ad- confidence or complacency.” “…a radical and imprudent de- in computing technology have best chess players in the world, vantage, going on to take —Roger Hagengruber, Sandia Na- parture from the current rule . . . begged the question: Can truly Hsu’s team sought to design a chess Kasparov’s queen in exchange tional Laboratories, National and inconsistent with Congress’s intelligent computers be con- specific processor chip. Deep Blue for a rook and a bishop. Journal, December 15, 2001 mandate.” structed? Can a man-made had 128 processor chips running Kasparov resigned the match ✶✶✶ —Victor Gilinsky, former member machine ultimately out think its in parallel, enabling Deep Blue to after only 19 moves. It was the Two quotes from National Pub- of the Nuclear Regulatory Commis- creators? In February of 1996, calculate one billion positions per first time a current world cham- lic Radio’s Talk of the Nation/ sion, on the Department of Energy’s a computer known as Deep Blue, second. Yet 97% of the computer pion had lost a match to a Science Friday with Ira Flatow, De- proposed new rules for long-term developed by IBM researchers, was constructed from components computer opponent under tour- cember 14, 2001: storage of nuclear waste, New York made history when it took on the that could be purchased by the av- nament conditions. Times, December 11, 2001 reigning world champion of erage consumer. The biggest improvement “We’re in the midst of a scien- ✶✶✶ chess, Gary Kasparov, for a se- Kasparov was confident going made to Deep Blue in the year tific revolution, a major paradigm “We don’t have the full story of ries of six games. into the match, but Deep Blue following the first match with shift that corresponds to a transi- large-scale gravity. It’s imperative The origins of Deep Blue date stunned the experts by winning the Kasparov was speed, thanks to faster tion from an age of reductionism that we poke with every stick we back to the dawn of modern first game. It accomplished this by processors that gave the com- —that is, that one can really find a have into the details of the gravita- computing. The first chess pro- offering a pawn sacrifice early in puter to evaluate 200,000,000 simple description of everything— tional interaction.” gram was written by Alex the game to gain a lead in position: positions per second. [For compari- to an age of emergence.” —Thomas W. Murphy, University of Bernstein of MIT in the late a common strategy among chess son, Kasparov can examine —David Pines, Los Alamos Washington, on plans to measure the 1950s. When Kasparov first be- players, but risky, since the out- approximately three positions per “We believe in the importance earth-moon distance to 1/25 inch, came World Champion in 1985 come is uncertain. The computer second.] In addition, Deep Blue’s and the value of reductionism. It’s AP, December 10, 2001 at the age of 22, solid chess play- went on to recover the sacrificed general knowledge of chess was ✶✶✶ led to many insights over the years, ing machines were already being pawn, ultimately winning the significantly enhanced through and we have many questions that “It’s not spooky, it’s just constructed. In the 1970s, the match. Kasparov later told TIME the efforts of IBM consultant we’re trying to answer right now.” counterintuitive. It’s difficult to con- Machack IV computer became magazine that he was “stunned” by and international grandmaster —Chris Quigg, FermiLab ceptualize because it’s so rare that the first to play in a human chess the computer’s decision to sacrifice Joel Benjamin, so that it could ✶✶✶ you ever interact in everyday life tournament, and with the intro- a pawn. “I had played a lot of com- draw on vast resources of stored “It came as a surprise to me that with these kinds of quantum effects.” duction of integrated circuits, puters, but had never experienced information, such as a database this was even possible. Even leav- —David Awschalom, University of the first chess playing comput- anything like this,” he said. “I could of opening games played by ing aside the many possible California, Santa Barbara, on ers went on the market in 1976. feel a new kind of intelligence across grandmasters over the last 100 side-applications, the physics and progress toward building a quantum It wasn’t until 1983 that a com- the table.” years. The increase in comput- engineering here are a very impor- computer, San Francisco Chronicle, puter managed to triumph over Kasparov recovered his equa- ing power also allowed Deep December 10, 2001 a chess master in any tourna- nimity and ended up winning the Blue to adapt to new strategies tant achievement.” ✶✶✶ —Atac Imamoglu, University of ment, and the Deep Thought match, winning three games and as the game progresses a weak- “It’s definitely the strangest ex- California, Santa Barbara, on de- project launched a few years playing two to a draw to collect the ness cleverly exploited by perimental finding since I’ve been vices that use single photons to later lost miserably to Kasparov $400,000 prize. He later said that Kasparov to win the first in physics.It’s an extremely uncom- transmit information, UPI, Decem- in 1986. he eventually defeated the com- match. fortable result.” ber 13, 2001 In 1995, a Carnegie Mellon puter by switching strategies mid Campbell and his IBM co- ✶✶✶ —Edward Witten, Institute for Ad- doctoral student named Feng game, since the computer did not horts took the lessons learned vanced Study, on the fact of an “We’re about 85 to 90 percent hsiung Hsu began developing a so much think, as react to its from building the system and accelerating universe, New York water. So what happens is when you chess playing computer called opponent’s moves. “My overall applied them to other complex Times, January 2, 2002 try to freeze a biological organism, ✶✶✶ “Chiptest.” After earning his thrust was to avoid giving the com- and difficult problems that PhD, Hsu joined the research puter any concrete goal to required a tremendous amount all that water turns into ice, and “I would say I’m responsible for staff at IBM and he and his col- calculate toward,” he said. “So al- of computational power. since ice is 10 percent less dense the mistake. My collaborator did league (and former classmate) though I did see some signs of Today, massively parallel com- than water, everything expands by most of the work, but I am equally Murray Campbell adapted his intelligence, it’s a weird kind, an in- puters are being applied to 10 percent and you essentially kill guilty of making mistakes.” work on Chiptest as part of an efficient, inflexible kind that makes finance, medicine, education, the organism. But if you can make —Toichiro Kinoshita, Cornell Uni- effort to explore how to use par- me think I have a few years left.” and nearly every other major glassy water, glassy water has the versity, on a sign mistake in a allel processing to solve complex As it happened, he had about sector, not just in the US, but same density as liquid water. You calculation of the anomalous mag- one year left. In worldwide. Scientists have have a chance of preserving an or- netic moment of the muon, National May 1997, not yet created artificial in- ganism without this big density Public Radio’s All Things Considered, Kasparov faced telligence, but systems like change that destroys it.” January 1, 2002 —Dennis D. Klug, National Research ✶✶✶ the latest, im- Deep Blue and its descendants Council of Canada, on new results about “UConn has made major, major proved iteration have helped us make better use when supercooled water becomes glassy, damage to my career and has stig- of Deep Blue in of the real thing. UPI, December 13, 2001 matized me as a bully and as a rematch that For more information, see ✶✶✶ someone who threatens people. made history. www.research.ibm.com/deepblue/ “I’m totally confused. Either The last two years have been hell.” Early in Game home.html we’re supposed to compete naked —Moshe Gai, University of Con- with all the other people who are necticut, on why he is suing UConn dressed — that is, have their infra- to prevent his dismissal from the fac- structure and their salaries ulty, New Haven Register, January [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/moment/041796/deepblue.html] supported — or we’re not.” 8, 2002

Series II, Vol. 11, No. 2 One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844, Past-President Bunny C. Clark (Nuclear), Sally Dawson, Peter Meyers February 2002 [email protected]. George H. Trilling*, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Particles & Fields), Stephen Holmes (Physics of NEWS ©2002 The American Physical Society For Nonmembers—Circulation and Fulfillment Beams), Richard Hazeltine (Plasma), Kannan Division, American Institute of Physics, Suite 1NO1, 2 General Councillors Jagannathan, (New England), Joe Hamilton (Southeast Huntington Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502. Jonathan A. Bagger, Philip Bucksbaum*, L. Craig Davis, Stuart Section) Coden: ANWSEN ISSN: 1058-8132 Allow at least 6 weeks advance notice. For address Freedman*, Frances Houle, Leon Lederman*, Gerald Mahan, changes, please send both the old and new addresses, Margaret Murnane*, Cherry Ann Murray, Philip Phillips*, ADVISORS Editor ...... 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Subscription orders, renewals and address changes Thomas McIlrath*, University of Maryland (emeritus) International Physics), Ed Gerjuoy (Forum on Physics and Ken Cole The APS reserves the right to select and to edit for should be addressed as follows: For APS Members— Editor-in-Chief Society), Timothy P. Lodge, (Polymer Physics), W. Carl length or clarity. All correspondence regarding APS Membership Department, American Physical Society, Martin Blume*, Brookhaven National Laboratory (emeritus) Lineberger (Laser Science), G. Slade Cargill, III (Materials), * Members of the APS Executive Board NEWS February 2002 3 Government Speeds Up System to Monitor Foreign Students By Richard M. Todaro As a result of the September 11 Program (SEVP) and its central status, and any academic disciplin- terrorist attacks, the federal gov- component is a real-time database ary actions due to criminal ernment has put on a fast-track a called the Student and Exchange convictions. comprehensive new electronic sys- Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Among the 21 institutions tem to monitor all foreign nationals It is designed to be an information across the Southeastern US that who come to the US on student and collection and tracking system for participated in CIPRIS were the exchange visitor visas to study or individuals (and their dependents) University of Alabama (Birmingham do research. The Uniting and in the US on visa categories F (stu- and Tuscaloosa), Auburn Univer- Strengthening America by Provid- dent), J (exchange visitor, such as sity, Duke University, and Methodist ing Appropriate Tools Required to visiting scientist), or M (vocational College. Both the INS and officials Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism or other non-academic student, at the participating schools dubbed (USA PATRIOT) Act, signed into law such as cooking, theatre, or flight it a success. in October 2001, requires that such training school attendee). Those who participated found a system be in place nationwide by Using SEVIS software, any insti- the pilot system to be so useful that January 2003. tution can transmit to the the INS agreed to continue the sys- Critics have opposed such moni- Immigration and Naturalization tem as an operational prototype, toring of foreign students in the US Services (INS) and the State Depart- which is currently still working and as both unworkable and unfair in ment an array of electronic will be transitioned to SEVIS in early that it targets international stu- information on any international 2002. dents, a group they say is already student or exchange visitor in the “Even before the tragic attacks, much more closely monitored than US on an F, J, or M visa. The system INS was moving forward with the far larger numbers of foreign will employ at least two interfacing SEVIS and was already approach- tourists who come to the US each options. The first option is a “real- ing final system testing stages,” said Beltway, from page 1 year. But the main organization time interactive” method that allows Chase Garwood, the SEVP program opposing such a system has users to access the SEVIS website coordinator. “What has occurred terrorism, having spent much of championed scientific cooperation. dropped its public opposition in and enter information directly. The post-September 11 is a rapid ac- the last decade fighting in Congressional or White House the wake of September 11. second option is the “batch mode” celeration of the INS deadline for Chechnya. But Russians, he says, opposition to international col- Academic officials ranging from in which large numbers of student actual deployment and availability continue to see themselves far laboration, when it did occur, those overseeing international ex- records can be transferred to of SEVIS to all institutions nation- more closely aligned with Europe- stemmed from budgetary or mili- change programs to those involved SEVIS in XML format. wide.” ans in their social values and tary security concerns, not from in federal lobbying efforts have SEVIS is based on an earlier pi- Echoing those sentiments was political economy. The US decision threats to American economic pri- welcomed such a system provided lot program called the Coordinated Jim Ellis, director of the Office of to withdraw from the ABM Treaty macy. But that could change if it is created in close consultation Interagency Partnership Regulating International Education at Auburn has dramatically accentuated that Europe succeeds in achieving eco- with the academic community, and International Students (CIPRIS), University, who said that while there leaning. And that poses significant nomic megapower status. that it targets “questionable indi- implemented in June 1997 and of- is always the risk of misuse of the risks for American interests. If the Euro delivers the trade and viduals” before they enter the US. ficially concluded in October data, he has seen no indication of If Russia becomes a full European monetary benefits that its advocates They said that it is essential that the 1999. It electronically collected an that at Auburn. Rather, it has made partner – and Pozner says that such believe it will and if Russian oil and new system does not get the assortment of information on in- his work easier. a reality is only a matter of time – it natural gas become Europe’s stable government involved in micro- ternational students and exchange “As with anything, there is al- will free the Continent from depen- and affordable home-grown energy managing specific courses studied visitors attending the participating ways the potential for uses which dence on Middle Eastern oil. From supply, the US might find interna- by foreign students. schools, including current US ad- may or may not have been intended. an American policy perspective, tional economic domination a closed The new system is known as the dress, visa classification and issue there are two obvious conse- chapter in its history. Student and Exchange Visitor date, current academic or program See FOREIGN STUDENTS on page 5 quences. First, Europe will be far less An economically empowered tolerant of US political control over and politically stable European the Persian Gulf. And second, with Union will almost surely shift the its energy supplies more secure and terms of debate on science at both the costs more predictable, Europe ends of Pennsylvania Avenue in the will challenge the US for economic years to come. Proponents of Dealing with Nukes and Terror world leadership. greater investment in American sci- Competition, according to free- ence for American use may gain by Pervez Hoodbhoy marketeers, is what capitalism is all substantial political traction, while about. And Americans will surely supporters of international scien- In the wake of the terrorist at- Islamic views, and Mahmood has of nuclear materials and knowledge rise to the challenge. But what con- tific cooperation may find their tacks of September 11, 2001, been photographed with Osama Bin is essential. But this is far from sequences will that hold for science, cause a more difficult sell. Pakistan’s military government in- Laden. They are currently under sufficient. If nuclear weapons con- where competition has meant vy- The sooner the American sci- sisted that there was no danger of intensive interrogation by Paki- tinue to be accepted by nuclear ing for the glory of discovery, not entific community begins to any of its 25 to 40 nuclear weapons stani and US intelligence. states as legitimate instruments of the domination of geopolitics? grapple with the challenges posed being taken for a ride by some radi- It is not impossible that the two either deterrence or war, their glo- During the last decade, policy- by the European evolution, the bet- cal Islamic group. Nevertheless, it Pakistanis could have provided bal proliferation — whether by makers have increasingly equated ter able it will be to help policy- wasn’t taking any chances. Several significant nuclear information other states or non state actors — economic growth with investments makers develop strategies that will weapons were reportedly airlifted to or materials potentially useful to can only be slowed down at best. in science and technology. And with secure America’s economic future safer, isolated locations within the Al Quaeda’s allies and subsidiar- By what moral argument can oth- good reason. Economists of almost and, at the same time, advance glo- country, including the northern ies in other parts of the world. If ers be persuaded not to follow every stripe now agree that since bal scientific knowledge. mountainous area of Gilgit. This ner- it so turns out, this will scarcely suit? Humanity’s best chance of the end of World War II, technol- Russian integration into the Eu- vousness was not unjustified: two be the first instance of leakage of survival lies in creating taboos ogy and its scientific underpinning ropean community is not going to strongly Islamic generals of the Pa- nuclear information. Among against nuclear weapons, much as have propelled more than half the happen instantly. And Europe’s eco- kistan Army, close associates of other examples, sympathizers of already exist for chemical and bio- growth in the US Gross Domestic nomic challenge to the US is not a General Musharraf, had just been Israel working in the US nuclear logical weapons, and to work Product, largely through gains in sure bet. But we should not fritter removed from their positions. Dis- establishment were instrumental rapidly toward their global elimi- productivity. away the luxury we now have by satisfaction within the army of in providing large quantities of nation. The US, as the world’s only Throughout this period, the US ignoring this possibility. The time Pakistan’s betrayal of the Taliban was uranium during the 1960s for the remaining superpower, must take has dominated world markets, to begin the discussion is now. (and remains) deep. Almost over- Israeli nuclear weapons program. the lead. fighting off only one challenge – by night, under intense American Pakistan’s loose nukes under- These are difficult times to make Japan in the 1980’s. And with pressure, the Pakistani government score a global danger that may such an argument. The White American primacy seemingly as- had disowned its progeny and already be out of control. The fissile House is celebrating victory over sured in the international arena, agreed to wage a war of annihilation materials present in the thousands Al Quaeda. But terrorism does not federal officials have generally against it. of ex-Soviet bombs marked for dis- have a military solution. Soon there ½ OFF! Fears about Pakistan’s nukes assembly, the vast amounts of may be still stronger, more dra- were subsequently compounded by radioactive materials present in matic proof. In the modern age, APS Membership Tell a friend, revelations that two highly-placed nuclear reactors and storage sites technological possibilities to wreak Visit tell a colleague. New APS members of the nuclear establish- the world over, and the abundance enormous destruction are limitless, members can join for APS News ½ off the Regular dues amount ment, Syed Bashiruddin Mahmood of nuclear knowledge make it only a and nuclear means are one awful Online now through February 28, 2002. and Chaudhury Majid, had jour- matter of time before some cata- possibility. Anger, when intense (Certain restrictions apply; see neyed several times into Afghanistan strophic use is made of them. enough, makes small stateless http://www.aps.org/memb/ during the last year. Both scientists So what is the solution? Obvi- http://www.aps.org/apsnews/ joinaps.html for details.) are well known to espouse radical ously tight policing and monitoring See NUKES AND TERROR on page 4 4 February 2002 NEWS LETTERS

Wu’s Leadership Role Questioned In your otherwise well-written specifically Eric Ambler, have re- historical piece in the December peatedly chafed at the dominant The Mad Scientist’s Love Song 2001 issue of APS NEWS about role given to her in the histories. by Gary McGath parity non-conservation, it is un- This injustice may have happened fortunate that you perpetuate an because histories tend to be written Do not run away as I kneel at That we have the least wish to harm them. injustice which seems to have be- by theorists, and she was the one your feet; come permanently embedded in the who communicated with the theo- I come to you in supplication. The townsfolk will greet us with torches aglow; “history” books. You refer to an NBS rists, but she appears to have made Please say that you want to be part of my life If they’re hostile, you’ll stand and protect me. “team led by C. S. Wu” as having done no effort to correct it. That commu- And join me in — re-animation. And let’s hear no nonsense of “death do us part.” the crucial experiment. nication may have been If they kill me, then you’ll resurrect me. Entirely aside from the fact that strengthened by the fact that Lee and I know I should flee from your fiendish designs, an NBS team cannot have been led Yang are also Chinese as well as by Or else I’ll soon be in your power. (Chorus) by a non-NBS scientist, there was academic snobbery which was at that But life is so boring when you’re not around, no question of any formal leader- time alive and well at Columbia. So I’ll go with you to your tower. We’ll run strange experiments late in the night, ship role for Dr. Wu, to my Philip Anderson, Princeton, New And I’ll thank the stars I could win you, knowledge, and the NBS scientists, Jersey Chorus: For after the moon sets, we’ll go off to bed Come to my castle on the dark and barren hill. And let the “experiments” continue. Uncle Joe a Barrel of Laughs Gaze into my eyes and I’ll control your will. Almost all the Ig Nobel Awards York? Perhaps the spirit of thriving Be my assistant in good times and in ill. I’ll learn how to work with the corpses and blood, (December Zero Gravity) are on the and surviving with humor and dar- That’s the mad scientist’s love song. And never will faint when I see gore. mark. But why ridicule “Stalin World” ing is being celebrated. Forever, I swear, I’ll be true to your love, while “Springtime For Hitler” is David Markowitz, Storrs, You’ll wear low-cut dresses made out of black silk. Or maybe I’ll run off with Igor. breaking box office records in New Connecticut When guests come, your warm smile will charm them. They’ll be so at ease that they’ll never suspect (Chorus) Didn’t It Used to Be “Throop Institute”? Thank you for the consistently cial use the variants “Cal Tech” and Copyright 1995 and reprinted with permission. Music for this song can be found in The Mad Scientist’s SongbookSongbook, high quality of APS News. I look for- “CalTech”. The persistence of published by M.A.S.S. F.I.L.C. See http://www.massfilc.org for more information. ward to receiving it every month. “CalTech” is indicated both by your Recently, one minor error caught my recent article and a nearby street sign eye in an otherwise excellent article in Pasadena, which directs motor- on the 2002 Apker Award. The sec- ists to campus via the sign “CalTech tion of the article on Kathryn Todd —>”. Nevertheless, “Caltech” is the identified her as a student at correct shortened form, and I hope “CalTech”. The California Institute of that future issues of APS News will Reports of Higgs Boson’s Death Greatly Exaggerated Technology has used the shortened reflect this. There are many excellent jour- source, headlined “God particle indeed cause for dismay. With form “Caltech” exclusively since Michael Hartl, California nalists who write about science, may not exist”, using the name for Fermilab’s search for the Higgs just World War II, eliminating from offi- Institute of Technology scattered among the newspapers, the Higgs that appeared as the title getting into high gear, and with the X-Ray Pioneer At Dartmouth magazines and broadcast media in of the 1993 book by Leon LHC at CERN under construction, Reading the “This Month in at Dartmouth College. Then, on the this country and abroad. It was Lederman and Dick Teresi. Other the misinformation propagated by Physics History” column in the evening of Saturday, February 1, therefore disappointing to dis- headlines were: “Divine Myth: five- these news stories can seriously November 2001 APS NEWS, I was 1896, Charles Emerson and Edwin cover a recent example of shoddy year quest for ‘God particle’ is jeopardize a major program of amazed to find a false statement: Frost found time to experiment with journalism with potentially serious fruitless” (Agence France Presse); physics research. While it is pos- “By February 1896, X rays were this tube. That weekend, Frost ar- consequences. “Analysis casts doubt on Higgs Bo- sible that some members of the LEP finding their first clinical use in the ranged to have his brother, Dr, An article in the New Scientist son” (UPI); and “Physicists: No sign experimental teams sought to ma- US in Dartmouth, MA...” Actually, Gilman D. Frost, bring his patient to appeared on December 5, under of ‘God particle’” (CNN). The head- nipulate the press by exaggerating the first X ray photograph in the Reed Hall on late Monday afternoon the headline “No sign of the Higgs line in the Sun, the largest circulation the significance of their failure to US of a fractured arm was taken in to have his fractured arm examined boson”. The headline was accu- British newspaper went straight to find the Higgs, if the reporters had Reed Hall on the Dartmouth cam- using the “new photography.” rate, but the story strongly the bottom line: “Six billion pounds followed elementary principles of pus in Hanover, NH. We still have the original Puluj suggested that the Higgs doesn’t wasted on 30-year ‘God’ hunt.” good journalism they would have In late January 1896, Professor tube, Apps coil and other instru- exist, when in fact all that one Some of these stories included the talked to enough people to strike Crehore had his young research as- ments seen in “An Early X Ray knows from the experiments done mild rebuttal that had appeared in the proper balance and to convey sistant, Frank Austin, search Experiment at Dartmouth College,” at the LEP accelerator at CERN is the New Scientist; others did not, the true state of affairs. through the physics department’s except for the battery of seven that it hasn’t yet been found. To- reinforcing the impression that the Science journalists face the of- collection of Crookes tubes for one Grove cells, in the Dartmouth Col- ward the end of the article there case was virtually closed. ten daunting task of understanding that would produce Roentgen’s X lege Collection of Historical were a few comments by well- With this kind of mindless re- new developments in science, and rays. By the end of the week he had Scientific Apparatus. known physicists, which at least porting, there was little chance of a transmitting the information accu- the Puluj tube and therefore had Allen King, Hanover, New alerted the reader to the fact that fair hearing for the leaders of the rately to the public. Indeed, the obtained the first X ray photograph Hampshire the non-existence of the Higgs is four major experiments at LEP, who, embargo system employed by Sci- not a unanimous opinion. together with the heads of two of ence and Nature, with which we have SI: Imbecilic or a Modern Improvement? The New Scientist compounded CERN’s working groups, e-mailed a taken issue in the past (see APS Regarding the Viewpoint by and nanometer, that fit into the gen- its felony in an accompanying edi- protest to the New Scientist on News, August/September 2000 and Charles McCutchen [ “SI”=System eral scheme are available. torial, which said “Researchers at December 10, in which they said March 2001), is defended by its Imbecile, APS News, October Have these authors considered CERN, the center for particle phys- “…the theory makes predictions for practitioners on the grounds that 2001] and the comment thereon the effect on students and general ics near Geneva, have ruled out the mass of the Higgs boson. In fact it is crucial for journalists to get the by Jeffrey Marque [APS News, De- readers? Units can help in seeing most of the likely energy slots where it tells us that the mass is probably story right, even if they are denied cember 2001]: relations and checking one’s calcu- the particle might lurk and now lower than 200 GeV. On the other the opportunity to talk to the sci- The discussion about the Sved- lations and concepts. The effort reckon it more probable that the hand, from the results of our di- entists and to report the news when berg clearly shows why the use of required for scientists to abandon Higgs is the product of an overac- rect searches…we conclude that the they first discover it. such units is not a good idea. The a few special units is small com- tive imagination.” mass is larger than 114 GeV, which Whether one approves of em- two authors disagree on its magni- pared to the effort for students and Within days several other news is perfectly compatible with the bargoes or not, one cannot argue tude and dimension. (Where is a the general reader to be able to sources had reprinted the essence above prediction—hence our dis- with the paramount importance of place to look up the definition of handle all units which some spe- of the New Scientist story. None of may concerning the report that we accuracy. Its unfortunate absence such obscure units? What is the cialist might like. them did any further investigating have ruled out the existence of the in this instance is we hope, not des- quantity that is being measured in I was glad that Marque rewrites of any significance on their own. Higgs boson.” tined to be repeated. Svedbergs?). McCutchen’s lengthy expression BBC News, usually a reliable These journalistic miscues are —Alan Chodos McCutchen admits that he is that supposedly gives some inter- getting up in age. Being myself in pretation (or at least an alternative) the mid-eighties I realize that it is of the Svedberg with parentheses Viewpoints, Nukes and Terror, from page 3 difficult to keep up with changes so that it is unambiguous, as SI (tricks for old dogs?). But the older would require. groups, and even individuals, dealing with complaints against its liberty of its citizens, it must now generation should not let their in- Mario Iona, Denver, Colorado extremely dangerous. international behavior. It is time for extend its definition of human rights ertia get in the way of generally The confusion over the Svedberg American triumphalism must the US to re-engage with the people to cover all peoples of the world. accepted improvements. There is was due to a misplaced parenthesis in therefore give way to a more ratio- of the world, especially with those it Pervez Hoodbhoy is a professor of little to be gained by hanging on to APS News. Both McCutchen and nal, long term defense of US interests grievously harms. As a great coun- nuclear and high energy physics at special units (like angstrom) when Marque were correct in their defini- and security. These ultimately lie in try, possessing an admirable Quaid e Azam University in alternatives, such as micrometer tions. We regret the error. —Ed. ameliorating conflicts and rationally constitution that protects the life and Islamabad, Pakistan. NEWS February 2002 5

DFD Meeting, from page 1 the fluxes by application of molecu- local particle accumulations that lar monolayers. are correlated to the flow struc- tures. In dilute suspension flows, for Biofluid Mechanics example, interactions between par- Dynamics in the structural hier- ticles via the fluid flow can have archies of living creatures are significant long-term effects, which simplified by continuum mechanics would be masked in a more turbu- Committee Oversees Publications In a and could be extended to support lent flow. Maxey illustrated the future research in biology and various processes with examples Time of Rapid Change bioengineering, according to Y.C. drawn from his experiments and Bert Fung of the University of Cali- simulation results. Of all the various activities of the submissions, reducing staff paper- fornia, San Diego, who spoke at a APS, the paramount one in terms work, pricing for new electronic Tuesday morning session. And since Fluid Dynamics of Buildings of both human and financial re- databases, and staffing levels and fluid mechanics is the key determi- Heating and ventilating build- sources is the publishing of the salaries. nant of stress and strain in cells, it ings account for a significant peer-reviewed research journals “In this electronic revolution, can play an equally key role in fraction of the total energy budget that carry out the organization’s things can happen swiftly. APS has those fields. He pointed out that of cities, and one of the most press- central mission to “diffuse the spearheaded the on-line systems every cell in the human body needs ing challenges is the design of knowledge of physics.” And over- like PROLA and many other pub- blood flow, and the dynamics of sustainable, low-energy buildings, seeing all such research publication lishers are following in our steps,” blood flow is coupled with DNA, according to Gary Hunt of the Im- activities is the 11-person Publica- he said. “One of the tasks of POC Alicia Chang/APS cell function and tissue remodel- perial College of Science, Technology tions Oversight Committee. is to keep us going in those direc- 2002 POC Chair: Beverly Berger of the National Science Foundation (left); 2001 ing. “Significant problems of health and Medicine in London, England, Last fiscal year, fully three-quar- tions. One example is how do you one of several speakers in a Sunday ters of the entire annual APS deal with the pricing of journals in POC Chair: Mark A. Riley of Florida State and diseases always need a good University in Tallahassee systems analysis, and such analysis afternoon mini-symposium on the operating budget and nearly two- this new electronic age.” may use continuum mechanics,” fluid dynamics of buildings. Hunt be- thirds of all APS employees were He said the move toward elec- Soon we will be linking to articles lieves that natural ventilation said Fung. devoted to research publication ac- tronic publishing has accelerated from other publishers that cite our provides such a low-energy solution. tivities. According to Michael the long-term problem of declin- articles,” Blume said. Particle Laden Flows Modern naturally-ventilated build- Stephens, the APS Director of Fi- ing subscriptions for the journal Blume also said that within two Martin Maxey of Brown Univer- ings use such innovative design nance, research publications hardcopies. He added that this de- years, APS will have software that sity gave an overview of various solutions has glazed atria and solar accounted for $27.6 million of the cline has affected journals in many allows all editorial handling to be simulation methods that could give chimneys to enhance the ventilation, Society’s overall fiscal 2001 bud- different fields well outside of done electronically. This will end scientists insights into the mecha- and demand for these and other get of $37.1 million. In addition, physics, citing figures from his own an “internal editorial process that nisms of various types of particle- designs has far outstripped current 140 of the Society’s 211 employ- university showing that subscrip- still relies heavily on paper.” laden flows, which include understanding of the fluid dynamics ees are employed in publication tions to about 2,000 separate titles The second broad area of con- turbulent combustion sprays, sedi- of such buildings. Particular chal- activities. have been cancelled in just the past cern before the POC deals with the mentation of dilute suspensions, and lenges include improving our Among the 11 members of the seven years. long-standing journal quality issue. bioparticle separation in micro-chan- understanding of the thermal strati- Publications Oversight Committee “We in the last year have tried “We on POC obviously are con- nels. Particles in such flows are fication and movement of air, which (POC) are the three APS operating to do something about this by mov- cerned about maintaining the very dispersed by underlying turbulence, often involve complex geometries. officers: the Executive Officer, the ing to multi-tiered pricing for the high standard of the Physical Review,” and depending on their size, their re- For more information go to http:// Treasurer, and the Editor-in-Chief. journals where large institutions Riley said. “The POC puts together sponse to the turbulence can create www.aps.org/meet/biology-physics/ In addition, there is a POC Chair and research laboratories pay committees every five years that go appointed by the APS President more for the journals than a smaller through APS journals and consider from among the remaining eight bachelors college,” Riley said. ways to improve them.” Foreign Students, from page 3 members. The POC Chair in 2001 “We’ve been very busy trying to The review is done chiefly Everyone should always raise ques- that rather than enhancing home- was Mark A. Riley of Florida State advance that multi-tiered pricing through survey work. “They have tions about the security and the use land security, the monitoring would University in Tallahassee. Taking policy. There is no doubt that it was about a year, and it is a long, seri- of data,” he said. “We have not seen simply discourage the roughly half- over in 2002 is Beverly Berger of the right thing to do and it has been ous job, to get surveys out and try any indications that the data that million foreign students who come the National Science Foundation. well received by libraries through- to get feedback from that particu- have been transmitted for the past to the US each year while doing “The POC is a very important out the country.” lar physics community on how they number of years have been mis- nothing to monitor the other 30 committee because it proposes In the coming years, Riley said feel about their particular Physical used in any way. In fact, it has million plus foreign visitors who guidelines for the operational phi- it is “very likely” that all APS jour- Review journal.” facilitated our ability to work with come to the United States annually losophy of APS publications and nals will be in electronic form only Staying on top of APS publish- the students and departments [on – the majority of whom come with- oversees the general editorial because of the increased versatil- ing activities keeps the POC very campus].” out any visa. policy,” Riley says. “Publishing the ity this offers, while the hardcopies busy. “The POC meets three times Not everyone is happy with such “As the debate on foreign stu- finest research and review journals will be available as an “optional a year and we’ve started a new an electronic monitoring system. dents proceeds, we must recognize in physics is one of the greatest extra.” policy of a two-day meeting in May, Opposition has come both on tech- that our country gains much from achievements of the APS and we Echoing these sentiments is which I think was a great success nical grounds and also on the being their destination of choice. It want to keep that going.” Martin Blume, APS Editor-in-Chief. [because] there are a lot of things philosophical grounds that crack- also remains true that 99.99% of Riley outlined two broad areas “We not only have our journals on- to discuss,” Riley said. “These are ing down on academic exchange the foreign students enrolled in our of concern before the committee, line, but there are fairly elaborate very interesting times for scientific would hurt the US intellectually and institutions wish us no ill, cause us more recent electronic access and things you can do with them. You publishing. While APS is sitting on unfairly penalize a tiny minority of no problems, and seek nothing information systems issues and the can search the entire archive and the crest of a wave, we always have foreign visitors without providing more than the best education in the long-standing journal quality issue. references are linked. You can look to be vigilant to maintain our sta- any additional homeland security. world,” NAFSA Executive Director Riley said an “electronic revo- at a particular PROLA article and tus. It is good to discuss the future Leading the opposition has been and CEO Marlene M. Johnson said. lution” is underway that raises a find all articles that refer back to and how to do things properly.” the Association of International “If cracking down on foreign stu- range of related topics, such as it, so you can trace it to the future. —Richard M. Todaro Educators, known by its old acro- dents and scholars could really nym NAFSA, a Washington protect us against terrorism, it D.C.-based advocacy group pro- might be necessary to forego the we continue our strong support for SEVIS is a good idea because it to limit the flow of information? moting international educational benefits that they bring. But that’s our reporting electronically,” the let- would provide accurate numbers That is where intelligence gather- exchange among 80 nations. not the case.” ter read. on how many foreign students ing comes into play,” she said. “We have recognized the need The NAFSA position has met Responding to NAFSA philosophi- there are in the country. But she “There is a very small number of for more efficient and effective re- with criticism from some of its own cal objections to such monitoring, acknowledged that there is the in- people who we are worried about porting mechanisms, but have members, including the officials at they wrote, “No one has yet shown correct perception that foreign having access to sensitive informa- argued that there are better and the 21 institutions who partici- us how CIPRIS would have a nega- students are the source of the ter- tion. Do we focus on types of worse ways to achieve them,” ac- pated in the earlier pilot program, tive effect on international exchange rorism threat. information or do we focus on types cording to a September 20 such as Auburn’s Ellis. unless we, as international exchange She pointed to the fact that of of individuals we are worried about?” statement in which the group for- Officials from all 21 schools professionals, make it do so. How the 19 hijackers in the September Focusing on the former, Bellows mally dropped its opposition to a signed a letter in September 2001 is electronically reporting of this 11 attacks, only one was on a stu- said, could create a situation where foreign tracking system on the that went out to NAFSA members data evil, while posting F and J hand- dent visa to study English, while even the most innocent-seeming grounds of national unity follow- and was publicly posted on an Au- outs and our annual statistics on many of the others were on tourist information becomes dangerous, ing the terrorist attacks burn University web site. While our web sites considered a bless- visas. “These weren’t people coming with the government then attempt- NAFSA had opposed the moni- supporting efforts to change re- ing and a service? Why is reporting into four year colleges [but] there is ing to “micro-manage” courses toring system on the grounds that sponsibility for fee collection, they CIPRIS data more malevolent than still the perception, that that is where taken by foreign students. “You the new system would unfairly fo- also affirmed their strong support electronic transfers of transcripts, the danger is,” Bellows said. could go into a home economics cus on foreign students and for the electronic monitoring pro- or registering for classes on line?” For Bellows, the success or fail- course and take something really, visitors, a group already well moni- gram. “For the record, we continue Katherine Bellows, assistant ure of the new electronic monitoring really benign and do a little molecu- tored compared to the vastly larger our strong support for the removal dean and director of International system will be how is it designed: does lar reconfiguration and create numbers of foreigners who visit the of schools as collection agents, and Student and Scholar Services in the it keep out “questionable” individu- something that was a bio-hazard. US each year on tourist and busi- for the removal of artificial dead- Office of International Programs at als ahead of time, or does it get the So even in the most benign courses ness visas. The organization argued lines in the law. Also for the record, Georgetown University, thinks federal government involved trying you have danger.” 6 February 2002 NEWS

Strategies at the End of CMOS Scaling by P. M. Solomon Editors Note: This is the first of two conductor (CMOS) has been the of silicon in high end switching ap- (EEPROM), articles on advances in electronics. dominant circuit type. plications. While III-V technology device channel “Plastic Electronics: Going Where Sili- The power of CMOS lies in its has secured a niche for itself in the length scaling has con Can’t Follow?” by Hendrik Schön, versatility. The CMOS transistor is high frequency analog domain, and already effec- Zhenan Bao, and John Rogers will ap- close to an ideal switch. It draws even in some specialized digital tively stopped, pear next month. negligible gate current and can be applications, it has never mounted but density con- For the last 40 years, ‘Moore’s used in series or in parallel at will. a serious challenge to CMOS. In- tinues to increas. Law’ has ruled the growth of the Since complementary switching deed, competition from III-V High-end servers, semiconductor industry. This as- types are also available, conduct- technology spurred CMOS toward where high per- tounding exponential growth of ing paths can be cut-off in both more aggressive scaling leading to formance is the components per chip at a com- logic states. Also, the wide band gap performance levels, integration lev- primary con- pound rate of 60% per year relies of silicon dioxide permits only small els, and low power usage that made cern and power Figure 1. Number of transistors in each type of chip (400 sq.mm.) as on the product of higher packing tunneling currents even in ex- it difficult to beat. is secondary, are projected from the SIA roadmap. Reprinted with permission from IBM J. Res. Develop. densities and larger chip sizes. tremely thin oxide layers, while CMOS transistors become more at the other end Higher packing densities have been tunneling is suppressed in the sili- leaky as they get smaller due to of the applications range. In this en- silicon by applying strain. The strain achieved both by finer lithography con itself by silicon’s indirect band leakier gate oxides, tunneling leak- vironment, scaling can be carried the induced in the silicon layer caused as well as by innovations in circuit gap and relatively large tunneling age in the silicon itself, and thermal furthest. So for bulk silicon, scaling by accommodating the overlying Si layout and in self-aligned, device masses. leakage over reduced barriers due can be carried down to ~15 nm for to the larger lattice constant of the structures. Feature sizes have been Everywhere the trend has been to reduced gate voltage swings. The the high performance designs but SiGe produces a transconductance reduced by about 100 times dur- toward replacing other solutions latter effect is the major leakage only to ~25nm for the low power improvement of about 50%. ing this time, and device count has with integrated CMOS, rather than component today, the familiar sub- designs. At today’s rate of progress The most important factor in increased by about 100 million the other way around. For instance, threshold leakage, but the others and with today’s design strategies, scaling is suppressing the tunnel- times. For all of this time the silicon in the early 1990’s CMOS replaced become proportionately more im- this predicament, for the lower ing leakage current in the gate metal-oxide-semiconductor field the silicon bipolar transistor for most portant as scaling progresses. In power circuits, will be reached be- insulator. By using a higher dielec- effect transistor (MOSFET) has high-end applications even though some applications which require fore 2014. This does not necessarily tric constant material, a thicker been the dominant device used in the bipolar transistor is inherently very low leakage, the most notably mean the end of all progress, since insulator may be used for the same integrated logic and memory chips, the faster switching device. III-V tech- dynamic random access memory other paths can be explored to con- degree of charge control. There is and for the past twenty years nology was developed rapidly in the (DRAM) and flash electrically erasable tinue the performance and density much work today in search of alter- complementary metal-oxide-semi- 1980’s to challenge the dominance programmable read-only memory improvements. nate dielectrics with a high dielectric Given that CMOS scaling is near- constant, yet whose bulk and inter- ing the end of a long and facial electrical properties maintain distinguished journey, why is the standard set by thermal oxide. CMOS still looked upon, almost uni- While this elusive goal has not yet Undergraduate Changes Rescue Graduate versally in the industry, as the been met, dielectrics such as alumi- technology of the future. Instead num oxide and various transition Physics Program at U of Wyoming of ceding applications to other metal oxides show promise. by Richard M. Todaro technologies, it is taking over terri- There is also renewed interest tory. The answer lies in the sheer in metal gates. The metal gate elimi- The University of Wyoming’s cited were a range of new double- graduate program benefits be- power of numbers and the ability nates the depletion problem Department of Physics and As- major options now being added to cause it will allow graduate of ‘brute force’ scaling to improve experienced with conventional tronomy has just re-instituted its the undergraduate program students to work as teaching assis- performances. Figure 1 shows the polysilicon gates and, with suitable graduate program following a through the department’s “Physics tants. numbers of transistors available for work function, may give improved three-year suspension that had Plus” curriculum, which according “Graduate students should different types of applications. It is channel mobilities by reducing been triggered by low enrollment to a recent university press release learn how to teach,” he said. And clear that there is substantial pro- channel doping. Another possible in the undergraduate program. As is designed to combine traditional he said that because his depart- cessing power still to be wrung out benefit is circumventing the mobil- before the suspension, the gradu- physics courses with “applications- ment emphasizes astrophysics, of CMOS. With billions of transis- ity reduction that is predicted to ate program includes a doctorate oriented” courses. Currently, the there are more American and tors potentially available, the occur in very thin oxides due to in astrophysics and a masters de- only double option is in physics- more female prospective students. question revolves more around remote interactions between elec- gree in physics education. meteorology, but additional “I think there are a lot of kids in how to use them to good effect, trons in the channel and plasmons In 1999, University officials de- options, physics-science journal- the US who are interested in pur- given power constraints, rather in the polysilicon gate. The search cided to suspend the graduate ism and physics-business project suing a PhD in astrophysics or than finding a way to increase their for a suitable work function, com- program– that is, no new students management, are being developed. astronomy, and in fact, a lot of numbers even more. bined with low reactivity toward the were accepted into it – in order to “We found that by being more women,” Johnson said. “It might gate dielectric, has led toward pure focus on improving the under- open, we attract a more diverse have been in 1997 or 1998, we had Device Design Strategies metals like tungsten as well as me- graduate one. body of students. Previously we an incoming class of graduate stu- As the end of scaling ap- tallic compounds such as transition “A state like Wyoming has to were just another small, vanilla dents where the number of women proaches, more radical innovations metal nitrides and silicides. have an undergraduate major in physics program,” Johnson said. “If outnumbered the number of men are being considered, since this Improvements in scaling are physics at its only four-year insti- you look at the undergraduate by two to one.” may be the only other way to im- predicted to occur for thin silicon- tution if for no other reason but to population of students, they are Typical graduate enrollments at prove performance or to extend on-insulator (SOI) films, with produce physics teachers for the much, much more diverse than the University of Wyoming in the scaling a little further. In a sense, thickness of order of 10nm or less. state,” said Paul E. Johnson, the they used to be.” physics and astronomy program today we are in a golden age of semi- The thickness limit is probably department chair for the past Although the doctoral program number around 17 students per conductor device research, when about 3nm because quantum ef- twenty years. “People grow up in traditionally focused on astrophys- year. radical new device designs, all in fects make the band gap (and hence Wyoming and they go to college ics, the actual degree conferred Johnson’s goal for the graduate CMOS, are needed to exploit the threshold voltage and channel po- here and they want to teach here. was a doctorate in physics. Regard- program is to attract students who full potential of the technology. tential) very sensitive to thickness, But are you going to get qualified ing the distinction between physics graduated from small, liberal arts Performance improvements so that slight fluctuations in thick- teachers if you don’t have a phys- and astrophysics, Johnson said the colleges with strong quantitative may be gained by improving the ness cause large fluctuations in ics program here?” course work required for the two and analytical skills regardless of transport properties of the silicon potential. Experiments have thus “They decided to get rid of the differs only in a handful of specialty whether they were able to take the itself. There is considerable work far confirmed adequate mobilities graduate one since the heart of our courses. full array of undergraduate phys- today on improving the mobility of See END OF CMOS SCALING on page 7 program is the undergraduate one, The graduate program also of- ics courses. and if we were having a hard time fers a terminal masters degree in “What we are trying to do con- keeping both going, we needed to physics education that is designed sciously now is to go after really focus our time and energy on the to turn out high school and com- bright students from liberal arts undergraduate one.” munity college physics teachers. colleges, who because of the size Changes to the program have Johnson said that the program typi- of the college, haven’t had a full boosted the number of under- cally turned out one to two complement of physics courses…so graduate physics majors for the graduates per year, a number he consequently their GRE scores in current year to about 50. This sat- called “significant” given the physics aren’t very high, but their isfied university officials, who gave university’s remote Rocky Moun- GPA is high and their GRE quanti- the green light to restart the gradu- tain location. tative and analytical (scores) are Figure 2. Schematic cross-section of an experimental planar DGFET structure, by an IBM ate program next fall. By improving the undergradu- very high. Those are the kinds of group, showing silicided sidewall self-aligned S/D, tungsten self-aligned S/D plugs, and Among the changes Johnson ate program, Johnson said that the kids we are after.” isolated, undercut back gate. NEWS February 2002 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Proposed Amendment to APS Bylaws Regarding Addi- COMMITTEE MEMBERS tional Duties for the APS Audit Committee Approved on the First Vote of the Council AUDIT COMMITTEECOMMITTEE: L Craig Davis E Dan Dahlberg, Shila Garg, Martin Paul NOMINATING COMMITTEE: Susan November 18, 2001 (Chair), Edward Gerjuoy, John D Walecka Gelfand, Leon M Lederman, Usha Mallik, Nan Coppersmith (Chair), Susan Joyce Helen R Quinn, Kenneth S Krane, Jack M Seestrom (Chair Elect), Curtis G Callan The following amendment is proposed to include the additional duty of overseeing that COMMITTEE CAREERS & PROF DEVEL- the APS Business Continuity Plan is kept up-to-date. Approximately 2 years ago, the Wilson Jr (Past Chair), George H Trilling, OPMENT: Heather Claire Galloway APS undertook a comprehensive study to look at the operations of the society and to Gabriel Aeppli, Virginia R Brown, devise a plan to deal with a number of potential disasters that could disrupt normal (Chair), Joanna L Batstone, Jolie Antonia COMMITTEE ON MEETINGS: David Charles B Duke, Katharine B Gebbie, operations should they occur. Now that the plan has been completed and is in place, it Cizewski, Thomas W Donnelly, Leonard Burnham Tanner (Chair), Samuel David Philip Alan Pincus, Ellen Gould Zweibel is equally important to see that it is reviewed periodically and kept up-to-date. Such a C Feldman, Vernita Gordon, Richard D Bader, Judy R Franz, Stuart Freedman, review seems to logically fall into the area of the Audit Committee and this proposed Hazeltine, Gerald Peter Jackson, Rajinder Kate Kirby, Thomas J McIlrath, Melvyn J PANEL ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS: James C amendment formally charges the Audit Committee with the responsibility. P Khosla Shochet, John W Wilkins H Tsang (Chair), John F Ahearne (Chair Elect), Arthur Bienenstock (Vice Chair), ARTICLE III - STANDING COMMITTEES CTE ON INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM CTE ON MEMBERSHIP: William J William R Frazer (Past Chair), Helen A.OPERATING COMMITTEES OF SCIENTISTS:Noemie Benczer Koller Cummings (Chair), Ron Armale, Lee 3. Audit Committee. - The membership of the Audit Committee shall consist of three Quinn, R Stephen Berry, Steven M Block, (Chair), Daniel C Mattis (Past Chair), H S Allen Bernstein, Philip Howard members of the Council, who are not members of the Executive Board or are not Robert N Cahn, Federico Capasso, otherwise directly involved in the business management of the Society, elected by Ahluwalia, Andreas C Albrecht, Bita Bucksbaum, Charles E Campbell, Judy R Daniel Lee Cox, L Craig Davis, William Council to staggered three-year terms which may extend one year beyond the term on Ghaffari, Anne Kernan, Deborah A Franz, D R Hamann, Joseph David A Edelstein, Peter Eisenberger, William Council. The member in his or her second year of service shall ordinarily chair the Konkowski, Keh-Fei Liu, Roberto D Mer- Lykken, Kathleen McCloud, Louise M E Evenson, Martin V Goldman, Lisbeth committee. Following each fiscal year, the Committee shall review the audit with the lin, Bernard J Feldman Parsons Dagmar Gronlund, Lawrence M Krauss, Society’s auditors and submit a written report to the Executive Board and to the F K Lamb, Joel R Primack, Ivan K Council, which shall include recommendations on fiscal management issues. IN CTE ON MINORITIES: Michael D Wil- CTE ON INTERNATIONAL SCIEN- Schuller, Robert C Richardson, Daniel C ADDITION, THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW THE SOCIETY’S BUSINESS TIFIC AFFAIRS: Peter D Barnes (Chair), liams (Chair), Pamela R Lucas (Past CONTINUITY PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS BEEN RECENTLY Mattis Estela Blaisten-Barojas, David J Ernst, D R Chair), Ricardo Alarcon, Katharine B UPDATED. Green, Saul Benjamin Oseroff, John Gebbie, Ramon E Lopez, Mary Louise PHYSICS PLANNING COMMITTEE: Peoples Jr, Harry L Swinney, Henry R Mandich, Philip W Phillips, Fernando A Robert C Richardson (Chair), Barry C Glyde, Bruce R Barrett, David J Lockwood Ponce, Herman B White Barish, Timothy P Coffey Jr, Charles B Fellowship Nomination Deadlines Duke, Robert C Dynes, Jerome I Fried- CTE STATUS OF WOMEN IN PHYS- DCP: February 15, 2002 COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES: E Dan man, Bob D Guenther, Stephen D ICS: Barbara A Jones (Chair), Miriam A Dahlberg (Chair), Philip Howard Holmes, Martha Krebs, Neal F Lane, Forman, Frances Hellman, Cynthia E DFD: February 15, 2002 Bucksbaum, Edward Gerjuoy, Allen M David Eugene Moncton, Myriam P Keppel, Dongqi Li, Margaret Mary Goldman, Jerry P Gollub, Leon M Lederman, Sarachik, T Venkatesan, Gerold Yonas, Murnane, Cha-Mei Tang, Claudia Megan See detailed submittal information at Gloria B Lubkin, Margaret Mary Murnane, James C H Tsang, Brendan Bryce Plapp Urry, Bruce Joseph West http://www.aps.org under the fellowship button. Philip W Phillips (Congressional Fellow), Sherri G Stephan COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION & FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE: Helen R (Congressional Fellow) 2002-2003 APS Member Directory BYLAWS: Quinn (Chair), William A Bardeen, BYLAWS: Stephen J Wallace (Chair), Irene PUBLICATIONS OVERSIGHT CTE: Timothy P Lodge, John D Walecka The 2002-2003 APS Member Directory will be printed in late M Engle, Edward Gerjuoy, Marvin L Beverly Kobre Berger (Chair), Martin Marshak, James McGuire, Kenneth C March 2002. Check your online directory listing at INVESTMENT COMMITTEE: Thomas J Blume, Thomas J McIlrath, Judy R Franz, Stanfield http://www.aps.org/memb/enter-directory.html to confirm that McIlrath (Chair), Helen R Quinn, Charles David E Aspnes, Michael Dine, Paul APS’ records are up to date. Corrections may be sent to COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION: Robert B Duke, Estia J Eichten, Judy R Franz, Ginsparg, Douglas L Mills, Mark A Riley, [email protected], faxed to (301) 209-0867 or phone (301) 209-3280. B Clark (Chair), Beth Anne Cunningham, Jerry P Gollub Katepalli Raju Sreenivasan, Willes H Weber

End of CMOS Scaling, from page 6 down to ~5nm thickness, opening power supply voltages, and low processors on a chip, many of them Even as we push up against ultimate other nano-challengers. A device a 5-10nm window for thin SOI de- standby power that needs higher idle because of power constraints, limits, device designers will exploit scaling approaches its logical con- vices. Although the configuration threshold voltages to turn the tran- or whether the transistors are bet- structural possibilities to the ut- clusion, the future of the VLSI of a single-gate FET (SGFET) in SOI sistors off. This trade-off leads to ter used with fewer processors and most, continuing density and revolution will be even more in the is attractive, because of its simplic- power supply optimization and de- a very large cache memory. Most performance improvements for hands of the chip architect. ity and because excellent device vice design according to application. likely a particular balance will be many generations to come. Indeed, Paul Michael Solomon is a research staff results have been shown by IBM Power management technology struck depending on the applica- the ultimate MOSFET is truly a member at the IBM T.J. Watson Research and Intel at gate lengths of 33 and is still in its early stages of develop- tion, but the availability of 10 ‘nano-transistor’, competitive with Center, Yorktown Heights, NY. 50nm, the easy penetration of elec- ment, since until recently voltage billion transistors in ‘end of road- tric field beneath the FET when the reduction, improvements in cool- map’ chips allows for placement of SOI is fully depleted severely limits ing technology, and improvements hundreds of processors, and inno- BIOPHYSICS, from page 1 its scaling potential. Better scaling in system architecture have kept vations like embedded DRAM (or is obtained with a double-gate FET the problem within bounds. But other dense on-chip memory tech- for the conference. the cell cycle and upon interaction (DGFET) in which there is a gate within the domain of device design, nology), might mean that there is In genomics and evolution there with a variety of cell activators (hor- on both sides of a thin silicon layer. several approaches could result in adequate chip area to support large are two main avenues that offer op- mones, growth factors, etc.). Then, when using the higher dielec- a better static versus dynamic numbers of processors, each ac- portunities for the techniques and Finally, there is the “classical” tric constant insulators, mentioned power trade-off, such as multiple companied by a large cache. problem solving skills of physicists: area of physical probes in biology. earlier, the reduction in scaling length threshold voltages; multiple oxide Redundancy is now an essential unraveling the evolutionary history In X-ray diffraction to magnetic might approach a factor of two. The thicknesses and power supplies; part of memory design, including of life by comparative genomic stud- resonance imaging, physicists two gates of the DGFET augment dynamically adjustable threshold error detection and correction. ies of sequenced organisms, and played key roles in developing so this advantage since they may be voltages and block switching. Without it memory could never utilizing bioinformatics to unravel many powerful tools. “We don’t be- controlled independently, offering Of these, block switching, in achieve the integration levels avail- the much more complex process lieve that the biology of the future advantages of extra functionality. which the power supply to a cir- able today. It is not an unwarranted of the selective expression of the will be able to grow and flourish Research into DGFETs has cuit block or even an entire speculation to assume that it will genome. Biological networks incor- without further parallel develop- picked up pace in universities such processor is gated, is the more radi- be equally important for future porate features that are familiar to ment of technologies from physics,” as Berkeley and MIT, and in the in- cal approach. If the gating switch chip-systems. The increased sus- the physicist, including feedback, says Austin. “Even now as we see dustry such as at IBM and Lucent. consists of a high threshold volt- ceptibility of scaled devices and amplification, error correction and the explosive growth of the gene Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of an age, thick gate oxide FET, both the circuits to soft errors, increasing coincidence detection. chip array technology, it is impor- experimental self-aligned planar sub-threshold and gate leakage parameter spreads caused by ma- In biomolecular dynamics most tant to realize that many aspects of DGFET, realized at IBM, where the components of the standby power terial fluctuations, and increasing significant challenges will come this technology came from phys- source and drain regions are etched may be greatly reduced. At issue numbers of devices point to the from trying to understand how the ics,” specifically optical lithography. away to leave sidewalls and to al- are the size, speed and power need for such techniques, while the dynamical interactions between Physicists have made enormous low the back gate to be under-cut. needed to switch the switching increased on-chip computing molecules can allow for the cre- strides in the past 20 years in de- transistor but detailed analysis power gives an increased capability ation of much of the complex veloping new nanotechnologies, Power Management. shows its practicality and the plau- of implementing them. Redundancy machinery of the cell, ranging from new imaging technologies, mas- Of all the issues that confront sibility of its increased use in future techniques have long been applied genetic regulatory networks to sively parallel data acquisition and scaled integrated circuits, power chip-systems. to fault tolerant and highly reliable signal transduction cascades to ac- storage techniques, and new ways dissipation is the most serious. computing systems and have been tive control of cell shape and of assembling matter including Though the power per function Redundancy implemented in hardware and soft- rigidity. High resolution imaging of quantum dot lasers and supercon- continues to decrease, more and A premise of many of the power ware and at high and low levels. This single cells will enable scientist to ducting interference devices. “We more functions are crammed onto management schemes is that de- is an important area for research determine the exact three-dimen- are just beginning to see the appli- ever larger and denser chips. There vices are cheap but power is and a possible key for exploiting sional arrangement of the cellular cations of these ideas to biology, is also an increasing conflict be- expensive in future chip-systems. future systems to the full. components and is tremendously im- and if history is any guide, then we tween the demands for low At issue is whether devices are used The data processing potential of portant, as are the time-dependent will see enormous impacts in biol- dynamic power, which requires low to implement large numbers of future CMOS chips is tremendous. changes in this arrangement during ogy,” says Austin. 8 February 2002 NEWS THE BACK PAGE A Few Modest Prescriptions for Widening the Path to Politics by Daniel S. Greenberg

Science finds advantage and science. For inspirational purposes, seeking elective office. The labora- ing their jurisdic- claims virtue in its detachment and the concept of the role model is tory is a poor launching pad for tions, will resist loss aloofness from politics. But politics central to the culture of science, politics. However, the prevailing of authority. The is the medium through which a so- but in elective politics, role models anti-political culture of science en- long-deprived hu- ciety decides upon and implements with scientific credentials are few. courages the field to stick to the manists will probably its values and its choices. That the The professional societies of sci- ghetto, and perhaps even to fear a trick by the political system frequently goes ence should advance beyond strengthen its walls. In 2000, over politically suave sci- awry and fails to work to its full clichés and act on the recognition half a million holders of PhDs in entists and their potential of beneficial effects is a that participation in the nation’s the natural and physical sciences political compatri- reason for increased involvement, political life is a virtuous activity, and in engineering were employed ots. But let’s not file not withdrawal. And this is espe- good for the nation and good for in the US. Only four were members away that sugges- cially so for an enterprise that science — and well worth the sup- of Congress. tion in hopes draws heavily on the public purse port of scientists. The fellowship The isolation of science from someday of a more and radiates powerful effects in all programs that bring scientists and politics is furthered by traditions favorable environ- directions and on all things — while engineers to staff positions in Con- that have become entombed in ment for reshaping Chad Evans Wyatt denying responsibility for the con- gress and elsewhere in Washington bureaucratic concrete. Consider a the science wing of Daniel S. Greenberg sequences of its work. are useful but insufficient. Politics small but revealing item, the anach- the US government. In its retreat into political isola- would benefit from more office- ronistic title of the venerable A first step would be to recog- petition into a sector that con- tion, science cannot detach itself holding scientists; science would National Science Foundation, an nize the beneficial potential of stantly flagellates itself for scientific from relations with the outside benefit, too. organization whose historic and housing science and the humani- conservatism and operational sloth world. But increasingly, these rela- spiritual significance for science ties under the roof of a single — without correcting either. tions are with industry seeking transcends its money-giving capac- government source of financial sup- These suggested changes would profits from academe’s scientific “The prevailing anti- ity. The NSF long ago acquired port. Nothing is certain in these contribute to opening the politics strength and prestige, distressingly responsibilities beyond science, matters, but the merger might con- of science to public view and — often to the detriment of scientific political culture of expanding into engineering and el- tribute to the intellectual horror of horrors — political scru- integrity and public well-being. Sci- ementary and high school science enrichment of both the sciences tiny and contention. The object isn’t ence is too powerful, too potent in science encourages education. However, the mandarins and the humanities. We might rec- more money or less money, though its effects on society, and too ar- the field to stick to the of academic basic research ognize, too, that separate bankrolls more could conceivably result from cane, to be entrusted to the scramble to the ramparts at the hint do not advance the goal of bring- bringing science into the political expanding alliance between a pro- ghetto, and perhaps of a title expansion that would ac- ing together the two cultures. mainstream. The object is to en- fession that has retreated into a curately reflect the work of the NSF. Another beneficial step would courage science to bear its ghetto and the commercial sector, even to strengthen its Their friends in Congress, with little be removal of the physical sciences responsibilities in a new millen- with their shared focus on making walls.” interest in this obscure sectarian from the chronically dysfunctional nium dominated by the works of money. While this relationship flour- strife, find it simplest to leave the Department of Energy, and their science. For over 50 years, the ishes, a deadening complacency has name unchanged. Meanwhile, the resettlement into an independent political instincts and talents of sci- settled over the institutions that managers and beneficiaries of NSF agency or the well-run NSF. As for ence have been heavily focused on should be protecting and advanc- With that understanding as a express puzzlement and disap- the National Institutes of Health, a single goal: more money. Now it ing the public interest in science. starting point, the scientific enter- pointment over the failure of with an annual budget that exceeds is time for the people and institu- With rare exceptions the public is prise should extend help to politics to provide the agency with $20 billion and continues to rise, tions of science to justify that satisfied to leave science to the sci- scientists who dare a plunge into funds that match its expanded re- the problem is bureaucratic el- confidence by stepping out into the entists. Politicians put hands on politics. Physicians, lawyers, and sponsibilities. On good grounds, ephantiasis in a government unruly world of politics. science mainly to get a share for schoolteachers apply collective they contend that the foundation’s agency that holds a near-monopoly Daniel S. Greenberg is a Washing- their voters. None of the profes- strength to politics through politi- entire budget, over $4.5 billion in on finance for the biomedical sci- ton-based journalist and the author of sional sectors concerned with cal action committees and other 2001, could be well spent in any ences. A breakup of the NIH into Science, Money and PoliticsPolitics, pub- science are inclined to push for organized efforts. Why not scien- one of the three sectors: science, several separate government phi- lished in 2001 by the University of change on their own, and there is tists? Latent scientific support for engineering, or education. By mo- lanthropies for the medical sciences Chicago Press. The above is excerpted little expectation that the necessary scientists in politics was brought nopolizing the title, the scientists would introduce the vigor of com- by permission of the author. correctives to the scientific enter- forth by scientists rallying to fi- assert a symbolic claim over NSF, prise will come from within. nance the congressional candidacy but at the cost of truth in labeling But coming from several direc- of physicist Rush Holt in 1998 and and the potential for broadening tions, small impulses for change 2000. public and political recognition and Physicist Jumps Into Texas Senate Race can reverberate through the vari- In modern America, participa- the financial fortunes of the foun- ous sectors with energizing effects tion in elective politics is measured dation. APS Fellow Lawrence Cranberg of Virginia (UVA), Cranberg also beyond their original strength. The in money and efforts to mobilize In the senior echelons of aca- has yet to read Daniel Greenberg’s served as chair of the Central Vir- goal should be more involvement votes — activities largely shunned demic science, political vision is book Science, Money and Politics, ginia American Civil Liberties of science with politics, rather than by science ever since its one-time, blurred by reverence for basic re- the source of this month’s Back Union (ACLU), and helped the less, because more would benefit 1964 venture into big-league poli- search and outdated anxieties over Page, but he is answering the call ACLU file a case that opened UVA society by opening science to pub- tics, under the banner of the ad hoc its political support. The self-desig- to public service nonetheless. to women students in 1970. lic view and controversy. More organization Scientists and Engi- nated legatees of Vannevar Bush Cranberg is seeking the 2002 Re- Readers of Physics Today, APS involvement with politics would neers for Johnson-Humphrey. ominously chant that applied re- publican nomination to fill the News, and other publications may surely be uncomfortable for sci- Antiseptic aloofness from elective search drives out basic research. seat of retiring Texas Senator Phil know Cranberg, 84, as a tireless, ence, because it would threaten politics contributes to the But through good times and bad, Gramm. As a political outsider and sometimes brusque, letter Cranberg casts a much lower me- writer who takes editors to task the reigning combination of sup- marginalized role of scientists in both the White House and Congress dia profile than his opponent for over issues ranging from age- port without scrutiny or public affairs, as evidenced by their have strongly supported basic re- the nomination, Texas Attorney based bias to educational policy responsibility. But it would be ben- frustrations with the State Depart- search, even during those periodic General John Cronyn, not to to some of the finer points in re- eficial for society in its dependence ment and the compartmentalized bouts of political infatuation with mention a field of veteran politi- cent science history. Education on science, and possibly even help- presence of scientists in the White technology. cos battling for the state’s and science policy are pivotal ful for science itself. The aim is to House. With the prestige and For purposes of prodding sci- Democratic nomination. But if his points in Cranberg’s campaign, dislodge science from its comfort- glamour of presidential staff ap- ence out of its isolation and bid is successful, Cranberg will be but his role as a scientist among able ghetto and move it into the pointments, the White House broadening political and popular the first PhD physicist ever to politicians may be his most rough waters of the political main- scientists serve the presidency. But support for science, wonders might join the Senate ranks. distinguishings characteristic. stream. no one in the know in political be achieved through an even more Although he is new to the cam- “What does America need more in The dearth of scientists in elec- Washington is fooled. The expansive name change: why not paign trail, Cranberg is no the Senate,” Cranberg asked dur- tive public offices is in large part president’s scientists are peripheral make it the National Science, Engi- stranger to political activism. He ing a recent interview, “a explained by the monastic nature to the political structure of the neering and Humanities Foundation, was a technical advisor for the US fifty-fourth lawyer, or the first of scientific training and career presidency because science has with perhaps a nonscientist at its delegation to the First Interna- physicist member?” progress. But it also comes from a made itself peripheral to politics. head? The chieftains of science will tional Conference on the Peaceful For more information about scientific culture that derides poli- No amount of sermonizing can gag on that proposal as a denial of Uses of Atomic Energy in 1955. Lawrence Cranberg’s political aspira- tics as unclean and debased, compel a flood of mathematicians, their place in the sun. Congressional While teaching at the University tions, visit www.LawrenceCranberg.org . ethically distant from the ideals of physicists and biochemists into barons, sensitive about maintain-

APS News welcomes and encourages letters and submissions from its members responding to these and other issues. Responses may be sent to: [email protected].