BPA NEWS Board on and Astronomy • National Research Council • Washington, DC • 202-334-3520 • [email protected] • June 1999

scientists, and educators must address Materials in a New Era—1999 Solid State several issues: (1) Our science policy is Sciences Committee Forum Summary outdated. (2) The American public does not understand science and its practice. by Thomas P. Russell, Chair, Solid State Sciences Committee (3) Scientists are politically clueless. It is The 1999 Solid State Sciences Com- tists must operate, and the changing roles evident that our nation needs to improve mittee Forum, entitled “Materials in a of government laboratories, industry, and its science, mathematics, engineering, and New Era,” was held at the National academic institutions in promoting technology education; to develop a new Academy of Sciences in Washington, materials science. concise, coherent, and comprehensive D.C., on February 16-17, 1999. This science policy; and to make its scientists article is a summary of the discussions. A Unlocking Our Future socially responsible and politically aware. more detailed account of the forum Laura Rodriguez, a staff member in The report makes four major recommen- appears in Materials in a New Era: Pro- the office of Representative Vernon dations: ceedings of the 1999 Solid State Sciences Ehlers (R-MI), set the stage from a na- 1. Continue to push the boundaries of the Committee Forum, soon to be available tional perspective with the keynote pre- scientific frontier by supporting interdis- from the Board on Physics and As- sentation on the recently issued study ciplinary research, maintaining a bal- tronomy. The agenda for the forum Unlocking Our Future: Toward a New anced research portfolio, and funding appears on Page 5 of this newsletter. National Science Policy. This report, the more innovative “risk-taking” projects. The forum was designed to launch the result of a House of Representatives study 2. Support private research efforts, an decadal report Condensed-Matter and headed by Rep. Ehlers, was aimed at essential component of a healthy U.S. Materials Physics: Basic Research for developing a national science policy R&D portfolio, by encouraging young, Tomorrow’s Technology. This report, part appropriate for the 21st century. The start-up companies, making the R&D tax of the series Physics in a New Era, reviews study finds that the federal government, See “1999 SSSC Forum” on Page 2 some of the outstanding accomplish- ments in materials research over the last decade and indicates some of the emerg- BPA Meets in Washington ing areas where there is true excitement in The BPA held its Spring meeting in The open sessions began with discus- the field from the perspective of basic Washington, D.C., on April 26. Board sion of various subjects related to as- science potential and in terms of societal Chair Robert C. Dynes, chancellor of the tronomy. In the afternoon, several guests impact. University of California at San Diego, spoke on topics ranging from NASA’s The first day of the forum focused on opened the meeting with the announce- perspective on astronomy issues to the the national political environment sur- ment that the membership of the Board latest developments in algorithms for rounding materials science, the funding will rotate on July 1. New members of the image compression using wavelets. On constraints under which materials scien- Board include Anneila Sargent of Caltech, the next day, selected projects being Peter Wolynes of the University of Illi- carried out under the auspices of the BPA nois, William Bialek of NEC Princeton were reviewed. Laboratory, Cherry Murray of Lucent In this issue: Technologies, and Gordon Baym of the Astronomy Topics University of Illinois. Anthony Tyson of John Huchra, co-chair of the Commit- Lucent Technologies was reappointed. tee on Astronomy and Astrophysics, • Materials in a New Era—1999 The first BPA meeting that new members reported that the committee is planning Solid State Sciences Committee will attend will be the Fall meeting, which to send a letter report to the NSF As- will take place at the Academies’ Beckman tronomy Division following up the Forum Summary. Page 1 Center on November 6-7, 1999. McCray report on ground-based optical • BPA Meets in Washington. In closed session, Dynes discussed a and infrared astronomy. The letter Page 1. review of the Board’s program by its addresses the continuing need for an parent Commission on Physical Sciences, effective program to facilitate construc- • The Fractional Quantum Hall Mathematics, and Applications. CPSMA tion of instrumentation for the new Effect. Page 3 member Jerry Gollub outlined the results generation of optical telescopes now in of the review; CPSMA member Daniel operation. The CAA is also completing a Kleppner participated in the discussion. See “BPA Meeting” on Page 10 2 BPA News • June 1999

1999 SSSC Forum (cont.) reconstruct the image from the raw data. CAT scans would not exist today if any of Board on credit permanent, streamlining regula- these were missing. Physics and Astronomy tions, and pursuing and developing National Institutes of Health effective partnerships. Robert C. Dynes, Chair 3. Increase efforts in education at all Marvin Cassman, director, National University of California, San Diego levels—including preschool to graduate Institute of General Medical Sciences, further developed the theme of interde- Robert C. Richardson, Vice Chair school, research on curricula and educa- Cornell University tion, addressing issues of teacher training, pendence by discussing the multidisci- recruitment, and retention, providing for plinary nature of research at major facili- Steven Chu ties such as synchrotrons and neutron Stanford University a more diversified graduate experience, and increasing public outreach. sources. In the , most such Val Fitch facilities are funded by agencies with 4. Strengthen the relationship between science and the society that supports it major responsibilities for condensed- Ivar Giaever through improved communication matter and materials research. Biological Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute among scientists, journalists, and the research, however, is finding an increas- ing need for these facilities and now Richard D. Hazeltine public and by engaging the scientific University of at Austin community in helping society make good accounts for a significant fraction of all decisions. work being carried out at these national John Huchra sources. Appropriate cooperation among Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Session I: Materials and the these communities and the agencies that John C. Mather Federal Role fund them will be essential to the contin- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center ued viability of these important and The interdependence of different extremely costly facilities. An inter- R. G. Hamish Robertson fields of research was emphasized by a University of Washington agency working group has been formed number of representatives of federal under the auspices of OSTP to facilitate Joseph H. Taylor, Jr. agencies. Princeton University such cooperation. Office of Science and Technology Department of Energy Kathleen C. Taylor Policy General Motors R&D Center Martha Krebs, director of the De- Arthur Bienenstock, associate direc- J. Anthony Tyson partment of Energy Office of Science, Lucent Technologies tor for science in the Office of Science and presented the DOE perspective. The Technology Policy, emphasized the FY00 budget request for the Office of George M. Whitesides Clinton administration’s unequivocal Harvard University Science is $189M greater than the FY99 commitment to maintaining leadership budget. This increase is largely for con- NRC Staff across the frontiers of scientific knowl- struction of the Spallation Neutron edge. Technology and the underlying Source and for the Scientific Simulation Dr. Donald C. Shapero, Director science in many fields are responsible for Dr. Robert L. Riemer, Associate Director Initiative (SSI), an interagency initiative Dr. Kevin Aylesworth, Program Officer more than 50% of the increases in pro- that will bring teraflop-scale computing Dr. Joel Parriott, Program Officer ductivity that we have enjoyed over the to bear on a number of problems, includ- Ms. Grace Wang, Project Associate last 50 years. The various branches of ing global systems, combustion, and basic Mr. Michael Lu, Project Assistant science are truly interdependent — science (which may include materials). progress in one field depends on advances Ms. Susan Maurizi, Editor Krebs identified a number of future in many other areas. As an example, directions and opportunities in materials š Bienenstock pointed to CAT scans, one of research, including neutron scattering, the mainstays of medical diagnostics, complex materials at high magnetic fields, The Board on Physics and Astronomy is a asking why it took so long after the dis- sp2 bonded materials, granular materials, continuing interdisciplinary body with expertise covery of x-rays for the technology to complex materials, and high-temperature spanning the various subfields of physics, develop. Progress in many fields was astronomy, and astrophysics. It serves as a focal superconductors and other vortex matter. point in the National Research Council for issues needed to make the technology a reality connected with these fields. The activities of the — solid state physics and engineering to Department of Defense Board are supported by funds from the National enable the computers that control the Hans Mark, director for Defense Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the instrument and collect and analyze the Research and Engineering in the Depart- Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics data, materials science to provide the x- and Space Administration, the National Institute of ment of Defense, initiated his presenta- Standards and Technology, and private and other ray detectors, and mathematics and tion by noting the basic axiom that pos- computer science for the algorithms to sources. See “1999 SSSC Forum” on Page 4 BPA News • June 1999 3

The Fractional and the number of flux quanta, NΦ , in the applied magnetic field. The elec- Committees of the trons undergo a series of condensations into new states with highly non-trivial Board on Physics and S. M. Girvin properties whenever the filling factor Astronomy Department of Physics, Indiana ν = NN/ Φ takes on simple rational University, Bloomington, IN 47405 values. The original experimental Committee on I. Introduction manifestation of the effect was the Astronomy and Astrophysics observation of an energy gap yielding John Huchra, Harvard-Smithsonian The various quantum Hall effects are dissipationless transport (at zero Center for Astrophysics, and Thomas arguably some of the most remarkable temperature) much like in a supercon- Prince, Caltech, Co-chairs many-body phenomena discovered in ductor. The Hall conductivity in this the second half of the 20th century, Committee on Atomic, Molecular, dissipationless state is universal, given and Optical Sciences comparable in intellectual import to 2 by σν=eh/ independent of micro- and superfluidity. xy Wendell T. Hill III, University of scopic details. As a result of this fact, it They are an extremely rich set of Maryland, Chair is possible to make a high-precision phenomena with deep and truly funda- determination of the fine-structure Plasma Science Committee mental theoretical implications. The constant and to realize a highly repro- Chuan Liu, University of Maryland, fractional effect, for which the 1998 ducible quantum-mechanical unit of Chair Nobel Prize in physics was awarded, has electrical resistance, now used by Committee on Radio Frequencies yielded fractional charge, spin, and standards laboratories around the world Paul Steffes, Georgia Institute of statistics, as well as unprecedented to maintain the ohm. Technology, Chair order parameters. There are beautiful The integer quantum Hall effect connections with a variety of different (IQHE) owes its origin to an excitation Solid State Sciences Committee topological and conformal field theories gap associated with the discrete kinetic Thomas P. Russell, University of studied as formal models in particle energy levels (Landau levels) in a Massachusetts, Chair theory, each here made manifest by the magnetic field. The fractional quantum Astronomy and Astrophysics twist of an experimental knob. Where Hall effect (FQHE) has its origins in Survey Committee else but in condensed-matter physics very different physics of strong Cou- Joseph Taylor, Princeton University, and can an experimentalist change the lomb correlations, which produce a Christopher McKee, University of number of flavors of relativistic chiral Mott--like excitation gap. In California, Berkeley, Co-chairs fermions, or set by hand the Chern- some ways, however, this gap is more Simons coupling which controls the Committee on Condensed- like that in a superconductor since it is mixing angle for charge and flux in Matter and Materials Physics not tied to a periodic lattice potential. (2+1)–dimensional electrodynamics? Venkatesh Narayanamurti, Harvard This situation permits uniform charge Because of recent tremendous University, Chair flow of the incompressible electron technological advances in molecular liquid and hence a quantized Hall Fusion Science Assessment Committee beam epitaxy (MBE) and the fabrication conductivity. Charles Kennel, University of California, of artificial structures, the field contin- The microscopic correlations San Diego, Chair ues to advance with new discoveries leading to the excitation gap are cap- even well into the second decade of its Committee on Gravitational Physics tured in a revolutionary wave function, existence. Experiments in the field were James Hartle, University of developed by R. B. Laughlin, which limited for many years to simple California, Santa Barbara, Chair describes an incompressible quantum transport measurements, which indi- liquid. The charged quasiparticle Helium Reserve Committee rectly determine charge gaps. However, excitations in this system are “anyons” John Reppy, Cornell University, and Ray recent advances have led to many carrying fractional statistics intermedi- Beebe, Homestake Mine (ret.), Co-chairs successful new optical, acoustic, ate between bosons and fermions and microwave, specific heat, and NMR Physics Survey Overview Committee carrying fractional charge. This sharp probes, which continue to advance our Thomas Appelquist, , fractional charge, which despite its knowledge as well as raise intriguing Chair bizarre nature has always been on solid new puzzles. theoretical ground, has recently been š The quantum Hall effect takes place directly observed two different ways. in a two-dimensional electron gas More information on BPA committees The first is an equilibrium thermody- subjected to a high magnetic field. In may be found on the BPA Web page at namic measurement using an ultra- essence it is a result of commensuration . See “The Fractional Quantum Hall Effect” between the number of electrons, N, on Page 8 4 BPA News • June 1999

1999 SSSC Forum Sciences of the National Science Founda- Inventions, technological expertise, and (continued from Page 2) tion, surveyed the broad range of research strong intellectual property positioning that NSF currently supports, spanning are the answer. Murray concluded with session of superior technology leads to length scales from the subatomic to the the remark that “. . . physical sciences victory in war. However, what has not astronomic. While Mathematical and research is as essential as ever for leading- been recognized is that fundamental Physical Sciences supports a broad range edge high-technology companies.” scientific research is the link between of research, its budget has increased by only 60 percent over the past ten years. Condensed-Matter and Materials superior technology and basic knowledge. Physics He outlined four new science and tech- By comparison, the overall budget of the nology topics that the Defense Science National Science Foundation has nearly The focal point of the forum was to Board should be considering and invited doubled in the same period. MPS is not launch the report of the Committee on the community to suggest others. The keeping pace, with greater budgetary Condensed-Matter and Materials Physics. ones he suggested were: increases going to Engineering, Biology, Venkatesh Narayanamurti, dean of Engi- 1. “Strange” molecules, i.e., fullerenes, Education, and Computer Science. Can neering and Applied Science, Harvard carbon nanotubes, or hyperbranched this situation be changed? Only if the University, chaired this committee and molecules; direct impact of Mathematical and Physi- gave an overview of the report. 2. Software development, especially new cal Sciences research on these others Over the past decade CMMP has been techniques for producing software such as fields and on society in general is demon- marked by the unexpected. The genetic algorithm development and strated and argued convincingly. Quot- Brinkman survey of physics (Physics application and automation of software ing Neal Lane, “It is necessary to involve Through the 1990s, National Academy development; materials scientists in a new role, un- Press, 1986) did not anticipate several of 3. High-power electrical devices; and doubtedly an awkward one for many, that the most important developments. One 4. Predictive chaos theory/nonlinear might be called the ‘civic scientist.’ This need only look at the discoveries of dynamics and its applicability to national role is one in which science shares in fullerenes, giant magnetoresistance, the security. defining our future.” fractional quantum Hall effect, and atomic He emphasized that it is essential for force microscopy, to name a few, to see the Session II: Materials R&D—The impact that unforeseen advances have had the U.S. military to receive the best pos- Next Decade sible scientific information and, to this on science and society in general. However, to ensure continuing intel- end, the Department of Defense will Materials R&D in Industry continue to support basic research. lectual vitality and the transfer of knowl- Cherry Murray, director of research edge to practical applications, CMMP National Institute of Standards and at Lucent Technologies, discussed materi- must face daunting challenges in the Technology als R&D in the industrial sector in a future. In general, science is becoming Raymond Kammer, director of the lecture entitled “The Changing Role for more multidisciplinary. Advances in National Institute of Standards and Tech- Physical Science Research in Industry in different fields are sparked by the integra- nology, outlined the impact that NIST has the Information Age.” The development tion of the special knowledge of subfields. had in materials science. He touched on the of corporate research in the United States For the scientific effort to succeed, facili- high quality of research performed in NIST since the 1970s has evolved from “just in ties infrastructure needs to be in place so laboratories, the provision of research case” to “just in time” to “just indispens- that research can be done efficiently and facilities to the scientific community, and able.” Without question, industrial effectively by a broad community. New the role of the Advanced Technology research is becoming more tightly modes of cooperation between the aca- Program with regard to the industrial sector coupled to products, and the opportuni- demic, industrial, and government com- of research in the United States. With the ties to conduct “blue sky” research (i.e., munities must be established to ensure growth of industrial interest in soft materi- research completely disconnected from that CMMP addresses matters of concern als, including biomaterials, the drive toward the bottom line) are very limited. How- to society and to preserve a climate of nanoscale structures, and the importance of ever, the technological advances that have innovation. In addition, given the multi- magnetic materials, it is essential that NIST been witnessed during the past decade disciplinary nature of research, academic remain on the forefront of research in these now place technology in the position of institutions need to evaluate and perhaps fields. NIST will continue to develop, build, pushing fundamental limits. As a conse- modify curricula to best educate students, and operate the best possible research quence, many companies are now in- who represent the future of science. facilities to study topics where NIST can creasing their support for long-term Narayanamurti then went on to de- play a special role. research. To maintain a competitive edge scribe several actions that need to be companies must maintain in-house taken to maintain and enhance the pro- National Science Foundation competencies, stimulate innovation, fuel ductivity of CMMP. The different gov- Robert Eisenstein, the assistant growth, and broaden their product port- ernment funding agencies need to nurture director for Mathematical and Physical folios. But why the need for research? the core research effort, modernize the BPA News • June 1999 5

Materials in a New Era The 1999 Solid State Sciences Committee Forum National Academy of Sciences Washington, D.C. February 16-17, 1999

Tuesday, February 16, 1999 Opening Session Welcome and Introduction – Thomas Russell, SSSC Chair A National Perspective on R&D – Laura Rodriguez, Office of Rep. Vernon Ehlers Session I: Materials and the Federal Role Office of Science and Technology Policy – Arthur Bienenstock, Associate Director for Science National Science Foundation – Robert Eisenstein, Assistant Director for Mathematical and Physical Sciences National Institute of Standards and Technology – Raymond Kammer, Director Department of Energy – Martha Krebs, Director, Office of Science Department of Defense – Hans Mark, Director for Defense Research and Engineering National Institutes of Health – Marvin Cassman, Director, NIGMS, National Institutes of Health Panel Discussion – Speakers and Congressional Staff Session II: Materials R&D—The Next Decade Report of the Committee on Condensed-Matter and Materials Physics – Venkatesh Narayanamurti, Harvard University Materials R&D in Industry – Cherry Murray, Lucent Technologies Changing Roles for Research Universities – David Litster, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Changing Roles for Government Laboratories – John McTague, Ford Motor Company Panel Discussion of the Future of Materials R&D Reception

Wednesday, February 17, 1999 Session III: Materials Education and Infrastructure Materials Education for the 21st Century – Robert Chang, Northwestern University The Spallation Neutron Source – Thom Mason, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Synchrotrons and Next-Generation Light Sources – David Moncton, Advanced Photon Source Smaller Facilities: Opportunities and Needs – J. Murray Gibson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Session IV: Materials R&D—A Vision of the Scientific Frontier The Science of Modern Technology – Paul Peercy, SEMI/SEMATECH Novel Quantum Phenomena – Steven Girvin, Indiana University Nonequilibrium Processes and the Mesoscale – James S. Langer, University of California at Santa Barbara Soft Condensed-Matter and Macromolecular Science – V. Adrian Parsegian, National Institutes of Health Tales from Flatland – Horst Störmer, Columbia University Open Discussion: Issues and Opportunities in CMMP 6 BPA News • June 1999

1999 SSSC Forum Changing Roles for Government and national politicians, educating them Laboratories about how CMMP has had a significant (continued from Page 4) impact on their constituents and mak- John McTague, recently retired vice ing clear why future funding is essential. CMMP research infrastructure, and invest president of Ford Motor Company and Although these arguments have been in state-of-the-art equipment. co-chair of the Secretary of Energy’s made in the past, the message has not Concerning larger facilities, the cur- Laboratory Operations Board, ad- been transmitted effectively. Even with rent gap between the United States and dressed the challenges that face govern- convincing arguments for support, the the rest of the world in neutron science ment laboratories. How can the na- reality is that funding for science will be needs to be closed by construction of the tional laboratories operate as a truly capped over the next two years and that Spallation Neutron Source and by up- integrated system working more effi- no new money will materialize unless grading existing reactor- and spallation- ciently to address problems of national these caps are lifted. The S.1305 autho- based sources. Support for operating and importance? McTague cited four spe- rization bill is a good organizational upgrading existing synchrotron sources cific examples: the Center for Excel- tool but will not produce more funding, and investment in the next generation of lence for Synthesis and Processing of and it does not bind future Congresses. synchrotron sources should be strength- Advanced Materials, the Partnership for ened. a New Generation of Vehicles, the Session III: Materials Educa- Incentives should be provided for Spallation Neutron Source, and the tion and Infrastructure partnerships among academic, industrial, Information Technology for the 21st and government laboratories. Universi- Century initiative. Each of these col- Materials Education for the 21st ties need to enhance their students’ un- laborative efforts involves several na- Century derstanding of the role of knowledge tional laboratories operating in a man- integration and transfer as well as knowl- ner coordinated from the management Robert Chang of Northwestern edge creation. level down to the laboratory bench University presented several sobering Can we predict where advances will be level. facts concerning the current state of made? Absolutely not. Nonetheless, it is McTague concluded by noting that education in the United States. He abundantly clear that the successes he was cautiously optimistic that the emphasized the need for prompt educa- achieved in CMMP have had an impact national laboratories will be able to tional reform in materials science if the on many disciplines and have led to meet the challenge of working together. field is to remain vibrant. From the marked advances in completely unex- Through cooperative projects, the number of American students attending pected areas. laboratories may evolve beyond being college and advancing on to higher simply a collection of isolated institu- degrees to the overall poor performance Changing Roles for Research tions toward becoming a unified system of American schoolchildren in interna- Universities of national laboratory resources. tional testing and the dearth of teachers J. David Litster of the Massachu- trained in materials science, the outlook Panel Discussion setts Institute of Technology de- for the future of materials science must scribed the current funding transition The first day concluded with a panel be of concern to every materials scien- in which research universities are discussion including Cherry Murray, tist. Materials science, essential in our involved. Using his home institution Venkatesh Narayanamurti, Thomas everyday lives and vital to our future, as an example, Litster noted the enor- Weber of the National Science Founda- still has a very low profile in secondary mous pressure that universities are tion, William Oosterhuis of the De- education. facing in terms of recovering over- partment of Energy, Skip Stiles, a Because materials science is an ever head costs with flat or declining member of the House Science Commit- changing discipline with new areas budgets. The 1980s showed a signifi- tee Minority Staff, and Harlan Watson, continually emerging, it is necessary for cant decrease in the amount of federal a member of the House Science Com- academic institutions to be able to adapt financial aid to students, decreasing mittee Majority Staff. in a commensurate time frame. Such from 50% to 20%, with the universi- While the members of the panel fully flexibility is very hard to realize, given ties being left to make up the differ- agreed that CMMP has a compelling the slow rate at which academic institu- ence. To meet these large financial case for support, that the impact of tions can change. Consequently, exist- burdens universities have turned to CMMP in society has been significant, ing resources, such as the Materials industrial support for research. How- and that the importance of CMMP in Research Science and Engineering ever, a delicate balance must be industry has been and will continue to Centers and Science and Technology struck, since industry is sensitive to be great, these facts are not sufficient to Centers funded by the National Science intellectual property rights and own- ensure the health and prosperity of the Foundation, must be used to best ad- ership, whereas universities must be field. Specifically, scientists need to vantage. Outreach programs of these free to publish the results of research. continually “beat the stump” with local centers that address K-12 education needs, although effective, are simply not BPA News • June 1999 7 enough. Chang’s studies indicate that straightforward. The construction of Operating costs upwards of $1M middle school and high school are a the Spallation Neutron Source is techni- with replacement costs of over $2M particularly crucial phase in the educa- cally difficult. And the coordination of annually are not uncommon. Yet the tional development of children. At this five different laboratories operating number of mechanisms that such facili- age many students lose interest in sci- under severe budget constraints poses a ties have for obtaining the necessary ence, and we must ask why this occurs significant managerial challenge. None- funding is limited. Many are situated at and how the gap between high school theless, the future of materials science NSF-supported Materials Research and college can be bridged. based on neutrons rests on the Spalla- Science and Engineering Centers, Sci- Chang concluded that all materials tion Neutron Source. It is absolutely ence and Technology Centers, and science initiatives must undertake to imperative for the scientific well-being Engineering Research Centers or DOE- foster greater awareness of the impor- of the nation that the Spallation Neu- supported Materials Research Laborato- tance of materials science education; to tron Source be successfully completed ries. Because such facilities have proven introduce materials science at the high on time and within budget. to be important, opening different school level; to enhance mathematics avenues for their support and mainte- and science education; and to get teach- Synchrotrons and Next-Generation nance is critical. ers involved in materials science educa- Light Sources tion. David Moncton, (then) director of Session IV: Materials R&D—A the Advanced Photon Source, described Vision of the Scientific Frontier The Spallation Neutron Source the tremendous advances that have been Thom Mason, science coordinator made in the x-ray flux with the develop- The Science of Modern Technology for the Spallation Neutron Source, ments in synchrotron radiation sources Paul Peercy of SEMI/SEMATECH outlined the status of this $1.3B project and the science that these sources have discussed the science underlying modern that involves an integrated effort from enabled. The development of these technology. While the scientific discover- the five national laboratories. The sources has been driven by the urgent ies over the past decade have been both history of neutron sources has been and compelling needs of science. In unexpected and impressive, equally marked by several key threshold points. turn, however, the massive increases in impressive have been the technological In particular, for neutron scattering, flux have also opened unexpected areas advances based on our increased under- the development of the graphite reactor of science. standing of the physics, chemistry, and at Oak Ridge, the National Research In comparison with current sources, processing of materials. These insights Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River fourth-generation sources offer spec- have enabled modern computing and Laboratories in Canada, and the devel- tacular gains in flux and brilliance; large telecommunications technology to keep opment of neutron waveguides marked quantitative improvements in beam pace with, if not exceed, the expectations significant breakthroughs in the use of coherence, timing, and dynamics; and set by Moore’s law. Scientific under- neutrons for materials research. large qualitative improvements in standing has not only demonstrated the We stand now on another threshold photon degeneracy. Such sources prom- feasibility of advances in technology but with the planned construction of the ise tremendous opportunities in atomic has also led the way to high-volume, low- Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge and molecular physics, biology, chemi- cost production of devices. National Laboratory. This will be the cal physics, materials science, high-field Today’s technological revolution world’s most powerful neutron source. physics, and soft-matter physics. would not be possible without basic It will enable qualitatively new and scientific understanding. This fact holds Smaller Facilities different science in disciplines ranging true for industries across the board, from materials science to biological J. Murray Gibson of the University ranging from semiconductors to commu- sciences. The Spallation Neutron of Illinois addressed an often over- nications to commodity polymers. To Source will offer nearly an order-of- looked component of materials science maintain progress, research in the optical, magnitude enhancement in the neutron research, namely the smaller facilities. electrical, and magnetic properties of flux on the sample. This enhancement, Among these are facilities for electron materials must continue. As size scales coupled with time-of-flight detection, microscopy, ion-beam studies, and shrink, nanostructured materials, artifi- will open areas of materials science that mass-spectrometry research. These cially structured materials, self-assembled are currently only dreams. facilities are too expensive for any single systems, and biologically based systems Is the pathway straightforward and investigator and yet are too small to will become increasingly important for without obstacles? Any effort that capture national attention. However, future advances. involves five different national labora- these facilities play a vital role in mate- tories and that requires each component rials science research. They provide Novel Quantum Phenomena constructed at the different laboratories capabilities far beyond that afforded by Steven Girvin from Indiana Univer- to operate perfectly and to mesh with the laboratory of an individual re- sity presented a lecture focused on novel exceptional precision will not be searcher. quantum phenomena. He dispelled the 8 BPA News • June 1999 notion that there are few surprises or Biology and Physics: Soft Con- 1996 forum. Federal funding for scientific intellectual challenges left when consid- densed Matter research has stabilized and improved. ering the physics of well-known objects, Awareness of the value of sustained Adrian Parsegian of the National such as atoms, that interact via well- investment in research has grown, and Institutes of Health underscored the impor- defined and well-understood electro- industrial support for physical science has tance of condensed-matter and materials magnetic forces. Superconductivity, stabilized. With such relatively good physics to the biological community and the superfluidity, and the fractional quan- news, it is tempting for the community to general importance of cross-disciplinary tum Hall effect are three recent ex- become complacent about being recog- research. Advances made with high-pow- amples of suprises lurking in familiar nized as an invaluable contributor to the ered synchrotron and neutron sources have systems. These phenomena underscore U.S. and world economy. However, we, had a significant impact on other fields. For the fact that the quantum mechanics of as a community, cannot afford to be example, as discussed previously by large collections of objects can be un- complacent but must work proactively to Cassman in his talk in Session I, the number usual and unexpected. Emergent phe- bring condensed-matter and materials of protein structures that are being deter- nomena, such as phase transitions and physics to a more broadly based audience, mined has increased tremendously through broken symmetries, often appear in including politicians and the lay person advances developed by the synchrotron large collections of objects. These not versed in science. Doing so will community. phenomena pose significant theoretical require active participation by scientists However, it is not sufficient simply to and experimental challenges to con- in educating students on all levels and offer sophisticated instrumentation. At densed-matter and materials physicists, getting young students interested in present physicists are simply off the radar since materials constructed from a large materials physics. screen of most biologists, where the collection of atoms routinely have In addition, scientific research is former are considered as being insular completely unexpected properties. [A becoming much more interdisciplinary. and parochial. It is necessary to establish full-length article on these phenomena Key advances are occurring at the inter- a dialogue between the different commu- by Girvin appeared in the last issue faces between different disciplines. It is nities. Doing so, however, will require (December) of BPA News. Another imperative that active communication be that both physicists and biologists be full-length article by Girvin on the established among different communities educated in ways that will increase each theory of the fractional quantum Hall so that the knowledge and advances made community’s awareness of the other and, effect appears in this issue.] in materials physics can be brought to thereby, stimulate interactions. bear on other disciplines. n Nonequilibrium Processes The Fractional Quantum Hall James Langer of the University of Effect—Tales from Flatland Fractional Quantum Hall Effect California at Santa Barbara treated Horst Störmer of Columbia Univer- the subject of nonequilibrium phys- (continued from Page 3) sity, who recently shared the 1998 Nobel ics—the physics of materials not in Prize in physics with D. C. Tsui for their sensitive electrometer built from mechanical or thermal equilibrium discovery of the fractional quantum Hall quantum dots. The second is a dynami- with their surroundings. Although effect, addressed the forum with his cal measurement using exquisitely the importance of nonequilibrium “Tales from Flatland,” where electrons sensitive detection of the shot noise for behavior was recognized in the can move along a two-dimensional sur- quasiparticles tunneling across a Brinkman report (Physics Through the face, being confined in the third dimen- quantum Hall device. 1990s, National Academy Press, sion, and carry a fractional charge. Frac- Quantum mechanics allows for the 1986), its critical role in areas ranging tional charges arise when a two-dimen- possibility of fractional average charge in from friction and fracture to granular sional gas of electrons becomes highly both a trivial way and a highly non-trivial materials to weather to ductility was correlated. In an animated presentation, way. As an example of the former, completely overlooked. Störmer took the forum attendees consider a system of three protons One goal of nonequilibrium physics through the initial discovery of the quan- forming an equilateral triangle and one is to quantify the relationship between tum Hall effect and then to experiments electron tunneling among the 1S atomic precision and predictability. Nonequi- performed under very high magnetic bound states on the different protons. librium phenomena continually come fields where fractionally charged excita- The electronic ground state is a symmet- to the fore as key to understanding a tions are observed. [A full-length article ric linear superposition of quantum material’s response to an applied exter- on FQHE by Steven Girvin appears in this amplitudes to be in each of the three nal field or its ultimate properties. issue of BPA News.] different 1S orbitals. In this trivial case, With increasing interactions between the mean electron number for a given different disciplines, it is evident that Conclusion orbital is 1/3. This situation, however, is a nonequilibrium phenomena will in- The tone of the 1999 forum was con- result of statistical fluctuations because a crease in importance. siderably more upbeat than that of the measurement will yield electron number 0 BPA News • June 1999 9 two-thirds of the time and electron Since the lowest spin state of the between the layers, it is possible for the number 1 one-third of the time. These lowest Landau is completely filled at electrons to be in a coherent state in fluctuations occur on a very slow time ν = 1, the only way to add charge is with which their layer index is uncertain. To scale and are associated with the fact that reversed spin. However, because the understand the implications of this the electronic spectrum consists of three exchange energy is large and prefers situation, we can define a pseudospin very nearly degenerate states correspond- locally parallel spins (and because the that is up if the electron is in the first ing to the different orthogonal combina- Zeeman energy is small), it is cheaper to layer and down if it is in the second. tions of the three atomic orbitals. partially turn over several spins forming Spontaneous interlayer coherence ν= The 13/ quantum Hall effect has a smooth topological spin “texture.” corresponds to spontaneous charge 1/3 quasiparticles but is pro- Because this is an itinerant magnet with pseudospin magnetization lying in the foundly different from the trivial scenario a quantized Hall conductivity, it turns XY plane (corresponding to a coherent just described. An electron added to a out that this texture (called a skyrmion mixture of pseudospin up and down). If ν=13/ system breaks up into three charge by analogy with the corresponding the total filling factor for the two layers 1/3 quasiparticles. If the locations of the object in the Skyrme model of nuclear is ν = 1, then the Coulomb exchange quasiparticles are pinned by (say) an physics) accommodates precisely 1 energy will strongly favor this magnetic impurity potential, the excitation gap still extra unit of charge. NMR Knight shift order just as it does for real spins as remains robust and the resulting ground measurements have confirmed the discussed above. This long-range state is non-degenerate. This means that a prediction that each charge added (or transverse order has been observed quasiparticle is not a place (like the removed) from the ν = 1 state flips over experimentally through the strong proton above) where an extra electron several (~ 4–30 depending on the response of the system to a weak spends one-third of its time. The lack of pressure) spins. In the presence of magnetic field applied in the plane of degeneracy implies that the location of skyrmions, the ferromagnetic order is the electron gases in the presence of the quasiparticle completely specifies the no longer collinear, leading to the weak tunneling between the layers. state of the system, that is, implies that possibility of additional low energy spin Another interesting aspect of two- these are fundamental elementary wave modes, which remain gapless even layer systems is that, despite their particles with charge 1/3. Because there is in the presence of the Zeeman field extreme proximity, it is possible to a finite gap, this charge is a sharp quan- (somewhat analogous to an antiferro- make separate electrical contact to tum observable that does not fluctuate magnet). These low frequency spin each layer and perform drag experi- (for frequencies below the gap scale). fluctuations have been indirectly ments in which current in one layer The message here is that the charge observed through a dramatic enhance- induces a voltage in the other due to of the quasiparticles is sharp to the ment of the nuclear spin relaxation rate Coulomb or phonon-mediated observers as long as the gap energy scale 1 / T1 . In fact, under some conditions, interactions. is considered large. If the gap were 10 T1 becomes so short that the nuclei Stacking together many quantum GeV instead of 10 Kelvin, we (living at come into thermal equilibrium with the wells gives an artificial three-dimen- room temperature) would have no lattice via interactions with the inver- sional structure analogous to that of trouble accepting the concept of sion layer electrons. This effect has certain organic Bechgaard salts in fractional charge. recently been observed experimentally which the quantum Hall effect has through an enormous enhancement of been observed. There is recent II. Magnetic Order of Spins and the specific heat by more than 5 orders growing interest in the bulk and edge Pseudospins of magnitude. (“surface”) states of such three- At certain filling factors ( ν = 1 in Spin is not the only internal degree dimensional systems and in the particular) quantum Hall systems of freedom that can spontaneously nature of possible Anderson localiza- exhibit spontaneous magnetic order. order. There has been considerable tion transitions. For reasons peculiar to the band recent progress experimentally in These phenomena, and numerous structure of the GaAs host semiconduc- overcoming technical difficulties in the others that cannot be mentioned tor, the external magnetic field couples MBE fabrication of high-quality because of space limitations, have exceptionally strongly to the orbital multiple-well systems. It is now pos- provided a wonderful testing ground motion (giving a large Landau-level sible, for example, to make a pair of for our understanding of strongly splitting) and exceptionally weakly to identical electron gases in quantum correlated quantum ground states the spin degrees of freedom (giving a wells separated by a distance (~ 100 Å) that do not fit into the old framework very small Zeeman gap). The resulting comparable to the electron spacing of Landau’s fermi liquid picture. As low energy spin degrees of freedom of within a single quantum well. Under such they are providing valuable hints this ferromagnet have some rather novel these conditions strong interlayer on how to think about other strongly properties, which have recently begun correlations can be expected. One of the correlated systems such as heavy- to be probed by NMR, specific heat, and peculiarities of quantum mechanics is fermion materials and high-tempera- other measurements. that, even in the absence of tunneling ture superconductors. n 10 BPA News • June 1999

BPA Meeting Perspectives from Federal In essence, a wavelet transform decom- Agencies and Professional Societies poses complex objects (functions, signals, (continued from Page 1) images) into linear combinations of simple, Guenter Riegler of NASA’s Office of elementary building blocks. The main report on federal funding of astronomical Space Science briefed the Board on the characteristic is that the building blocks or research that will support the work of the strategic planning process for new initiatives “wavelets” are well localized in both time Policy and Education Panel of the As- in space-based astronomy and described its (or space) and frequency (or scale). Each tronomy and Astrophysics Survey. relationship to the work of the AASC. wavelet represents a certain location and Joseph Taylor and Christopher McKee, Outyear budgets for the Office of Space frequency. This approach is in contrast co-chairs of the Astronomy and Astrophys- Science in the 2000 budget request are with classical methods such as sampling ics Survey Committee, reported on the looking much better than in the recent past, (which is local in time but not in frequency) progress of that study. The AASC met so there is a spirit of optimism in the pro- and Fourier analysis, which is only local in recently to hear progress reports on the gram. Today’s expectations for 2000-2005 frequency (and not in time). work of the various panels that have been have a number of encouraging elements. In addition, wavelets go hand in hand set up to develop priorities for the subfields The explorer program has a firm program with multiresolution analysis. The coarse- of astronomy. The panels outlined a menu with 8 missions (in 3 size categories) every scale or low-frequency wavelets typically of future possibilities for initiatives in two years. A new technology verification give a broad-brush approximation of the astronomy on all scales that could only be program is firmly established with 5 major object. Fine-scale detail can be added described as breathtaking in its scope. A missions for the 2000-2005 period. There is locally using higher-frequency wavelets. panel of astronomers from Europe and a clear emphasis on data accessibility, The finer the scale, the more precise the Japan gave an international perspective on education and public outreach, and tech- localization of these extra details becomes. major initiatives in the field. The next nology development for new instruments. Traditionally, wavelets have been meeting of the AASC will take place in July. OSS has a mission plan that follows from constructed using the regular spacing of a The “shootout” at which the top initiatives extensive work on strategy development lattice, and the different scales are generated recommended by each panel will be put in with participation of the scientific commu- by dilations by powers of 2. This procedure priority order is scheduled to take place in nity. The number of simultaneously oper- has allowed the construction of very fast October. ating missions grows steadily to 2005. (linear in time) wavelet transform algo- The Board also heard from Paul Joseph Dehmer, who recently took up rithms. Such wavelet transforms are suited Steffes of the Georgia Institute of Tech- the directorship of the Physics Division at for regularly sampled signals defined on nology, chair of the Committee on Radio NSF, described a new framework for the Euclidean geometries like a line (sound), Frequencies. CORF’s mandate is to physics program. plane (images) and 3-space (video). One of monitor developments in radio spectrum Michael Lubell of the Office of Public the major applications has been image and use that could threaten passive uses of the Affairs at the American Physical Society video compression. Wavelets form the basis spectrum, including radio astronomy and described the APS’s increasingly active role for the new JPEG2000 standard. remote sensing, and to alert the Federal in making Congress aware of the concerns More recently, so-called second-genera- Communications Commission to these of the membership and the importance of tion wavelets were built to handle data concerns. CORF is now writing a new physics to the nation’s economic and defined on more complex geometries. position paper in preparation for the military security. Typical examples are wavelets on spheres or upcoming World Radio Communication The Science Talk: Wavelets arbitrary triangulated meshes. While such Conference. wavelets no longer can use the translation CORF recently filed Comments with For each of its meetings, the Board and dilation structure, they still lead to fast the FCC on a proposed amendment to the schedules a talk on a science topic. Ingrid transform algorithms. FCC’s rules concerning communications- Daubechies of Princeton University and satellite downlinks. CORF explained that Wim Sweldens of Lucent Technologies BPA Studies in Progress it would be difficult for satellite down- described the principles whereby wave- The second day of the Board meeting was links in the 10.7-12.7 GHz band to avoid forms can be represented by an expansion devoted to progress reports on various studies. causing harmful interference to radio in terms of “wavelets,” which are wave Fusion Science astronomy observations in a neighboring packets rather than waves. Over the last band that is reserved for radio astronomy. decade, wavelets have emerged as a synthe- Charles Kennel, recently appointed to CORF argued that radio astronomy must sis from many scientific disciplines. The list chair an assessment of the science compo- be protected from satellite downlinks at includes pure mathematics (harmonic nent of the program of DOE’s Office of the level required under international analysis), electrical engineering (filters), Fusion Energy Sciences, outlined the pur- radio regulations. In addition, CORF quantum physics (coherent states), geo- pose and structure of the study. The assess- recommended that the FCC modify its physics (time-frequency analysis), numeri- ment was requested by Martha Krebs, rules to provide for a filtering require- cal analysis (multigrid methods), and director, Office of Science, Department of ment to ensure that these levels are met. computer-aided design (subdivision). Energy, who asked for an assessment of the BPA News • June 1999 11 science in OFES. She suggested criteria Government), Al Narath (retired VP, ture working group, on that basis, will begin including excellence, impact, and role in Lockheed Martin), and Robert Socolow its work on the program strategy. education. Subsequently, with the enthusi- (Princeton University). astic support of the director of OFES, Anne The experiment working group, headed Physics Survey Overview Davies, the charge was elaborated to include by Claudio Pellegrini of UCLA, includes Thomas Appelquist (Yale U.), chair of formulation of a program strategy for the George Gloeckler (U. Md.), Patrick L. the Physics Survey Overview Committee, future. Colestock (Fermilab), and Raymond Fonck described his approach to a framework for The BPA’s involvement in fusion science (U. Wisconsin). This group will review consideration of physics as a whole. goes back to the second volume of the physics experimental work on all scales ranging Education survey Physics in a New Era. That volume, from small university work to larger ma- entitled Plasma Science: From Fundamental chines such as those at Princeton Plasma Jack Wilson briefed the Board on the Research to Technological Applications, Physics Laboratory. education component of the physics survey stressed the importance of strengthening the The theory and computation working overview and also described the most recent science underpinnings of the program. It was group, headed by Robert Rosner of the evolution of the Board’s proposal for a published in 1995. Subsequently, the Congress University of Chicago, includes James W. study of physics education. directed a reorientation of the fusion program Van Dam (U. Texas), Nathaniel J. Fisch The Helium Reserve from one aimed primarily at development of (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), John Reppy and Ray Beebe, co-chairs of fusion as an energy technology to a program Zoran Mikic (SAIC), and Jonathan Wurtele the helium reserve study, shared their focused more on research. The fusion science (U.C. Berkeley). This group will assess committee’s conclusions with the Board in assessment’s objective, then, is to assess efforts to understand the basic theoretical closed session. The study should be re- progress in this reorientation of the program issues in plasma science and to model and leased this summer. and to develop a road map for the future. simulate plasma processes. Among the specific technical issues to be The initial task of these two working Solid State Sciences Committee addressed are the following: groups will be to form a preliminary assess- Thomas Russell, chair of the Solid State •Simulation and modeling of turbulence, ment of the experimental and theoretical Sciences Committee, described the transport, and stability based on: science efforts within OFES. On that basis, committee’s plans for the future now that –theoretical understanding, an interim report will be prepared for the condensed-matter and materials physics –experimental results, submission to the Department of Energy in volume of the physics survey, which the –large-scale computational modeling; September. SSSC oversaw, is complete. The SSSC is •Interaction of energetic particles and A working group on program architec- developing a plan for a brochure, aimed at a plasmas; ture headed by James F. Drake of the Uni- wide audience, entitled “The Physics of •Plasma boundary conditions; versity of Maryland will look at the strategy Life.” The proceedings of the 1999 SSSC •Physics of burning plasmas; and structure of the program. This group Forum (summarized in this issue of BPA •Scientific basis for innovative confinement will form a judgment about the degree to News) will soon be published. concepts; and which the program has been successful in •Physics of materials under extreme thermal reorienting itself more in the direction of Committee on Atomic, Molecular, and and radiation conditions. basic research that underlies fusion. The Optical Sciences Working groups have been formed to present program strategy will be reviewed Kumar Patel, who recently agreed to address theory, experiment, and program and suggestions will be formulated aimed at lead an update of the atomic physics volume structure. A steering group will oversee the building the most robust possible science of the physics survey (the first volume in the study and promulgate its results. One of the base for the future development of fusion. series Physics in a New Era), described his criteria for developing the membership of the Other members of this working group plans for a short report that will explain committee was to involve researchers working include Stewart C. Prager (U. Wisconsin), recent developments, such as Bose-Einstein in closely allied and related fields but whose Andrew M. Sessler (Lawrence Berkeley condensation of atoms, that have taken principal work is not supported by or included Laboratory), Lennard Fisk (U. Michigan), place since the publication in 1994 of in the OFES program. Most of the members of and Linda Capuano (AlliedSignal Inc.). Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science: An the committee do not receive support from The first meeting was held on May 16-19 Investment in the Future. OFES. But at least one member of each panel at U.C. San Diego. At this meeting, the has recent direct experience with the program theory and experiment groups convened for Conclusion to ensure access to relevant background the first time and began their work in Board chair Robert Dynes (U.C. San information and expertise. assessing the program. A second meeting is Diego) closed the meeting with a discus- The members of the steering group are scheduled for July 21-23 in conjunction sion of the BPA strategy in light of a Charles Kennel, chair (Director, Scripps with the Snowmass Fusion Conference that recently concluded review of the BPA Institution of Oceanography, U.C. San will have taken place over the previous two program. Expanding the objectives of the Diego), France Cordova (U.C. Santa Bar- weeks. The interim report will be assembled Board to include education issues is bara), Robert Frosh (Kennedy School of at that meeting and the program architec- under consideration. n

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