PHYSICS ILLINOIS NEWS THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN • 2008 NUMBER 1 eh Y times in Urbana, and Michael Tinkham, Ivar Giaever, Yoichiro BCS@50 ao-Chuang M Nambu, and Philip Anderson provided their unique insights. Lev t’s been hailed as one of the greatest Gor’kov spoke about the impact of Idiscoveries in theoretical physics BCS in the late 1950s and early in the 20th century—a theory that 1960s in Russia. has provided essential insight into David Pines described the Bardeen scores of physics problems, from bottom-up, experiment-based the structure of atomic nuclei to approach to theoretical physics, of the cores of neutron stars. And to which BCS was a perfect example: commemorate this remarkable • Focus first on the experimental intellectual achievement by its own results via reading and personal John Bardeen, Leon Cooper, and contact J. Robert Schrieffer (PhD ’57), the • Develop a phenomenological Department of Physics did what it description that ties different always does—it threw a party and experimental results together everybody came. • Explore alternative physical pictures olfe W Published in December 1957, Above: Superconductivity pioneers at . and mathematical descriptions the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) BCS@50—Dale Van Harlingen, Lev Gor’kov, ames P without becoming wedded to any J theory of superconductivity provided Charles Slichter, David Pines, Leon Cooper, particular one the first analytical solution to the Marvin Cohen, Michael Tinkham • Thermodynamic and other 46-year-old mystery of super- macroscopic arguments have conductivity —a problem that Right: J. Robert Schrieffer (PhD ’57) precedence over microscopic stumped all the other greats of calculations 20th-century physics. To celebrate he wanted to hear what Bardeen had Phillips recounted how the idea • Focus on physical understanding, the theory’s golden anniversary, to say. He waited. “It seemed like we for a conference to celebrate BCS not mathematical elegance, and use scientists from around the world stood there looking at one another came about. “One day in the fall of the simplest possible mathematical converged on the University of Illinois for 5 minutes,” Slichter said. Finally, 2004, Tony Leggett came to my office description in October for four days devoted to Bardeen let it out: “Charlie, I think in state of great excitement and • Keep up with new developments in superconductivity—“ancient and we’ve solved superconductivity.” exclaimed, ‘Philip, in three years it theoretical techniques—for one of modern,” to use Tony Leggett’s phrase. “I thought, WOW!” Slichter will be 2007!’ I replied, mystified, these may prove useful The conference featured talks by nine said. “It was one of the most exciting ‘Yes, Tony…and in four years, it will • Decide on a model Hamiltonian or Nobel laureates in physics, including moments in science that I’ve ever be 2008.’ Tony waited expectantly for wave function as the penultimate, Leon Cooper and Bob Schrieffer. experienced.” me to grasp the significance of 2007. not the first, step toward a solution Charlie Slichter, whose “It’s 50 years later, and BCS still I never did, so my punishment was • Choose the right collaborators experiments had laid some of stands as a singular contribution to to organize this conference.” • DON’T GIVE UP: Stay with the the groundwork for the theory, theoretical physics,” said Philip Each day of the conference problem until it is solved remembered Bardeen’s walking up Phillips, professor of physics and the explored different aspects of Current trends in super- to him in the hall of the old Physics chair of the conference organizing superconductivity. The first day conductivity, including high-Tc Building one day. “It was clear that committee. “It’s a one-of-a-kind focused on the history and people superconductors, were featured on John had something he wanted to theory with an impact on essentially behind the BCS theory. Charlie the second day. A high point was say to me,” Slichter said. But Bardeen all areas of physics. Indeed, part of the Slichter, David Pines, Leon Cooper, the wide-ranging theory roundtable wasn’t much of a talker, and Slichter beauty of BCS, apart from its seeming and Bob Schrieffer shared personal had learned not to pre-empt him if simplicity, is its true generality.” reminiscences about those heady continued on page 3 Bardeen stamp unveiled Bio meets nano at Physics Illinois ed. v n March 6, 2008, the sing computer simulations, eser Department of Physics hosted tauffer researchers at the University of O U the Urbana Postmaster, Kathleen J. rian S Illinois have demonstrated a strategy ll Rights R Burr, regional U.S. Postal Service L. B for sequencing DNA by driving officials, University administrators, the molecule back and forth through and family and friends of John a nanopore capacitor in a semi- © 2007 USPS. A Bardeen at a special unveiling conductor chip. The technique ceremony for the 2008 U.S. postage could lead to a device that would stamp commemorating his read human genomes quickly achievements. One of four American and affordably. scientists being honored this year, Bardeen was recognized for his co-invention Being able to sequence a human genome for $1,000 or less could of the transistor and his contribution to the first fundamental explanation of open a new era in personal medicine, making it possible to precisely superconductivity. (The other scientists being recognized are biochemist Gerty diagnose the cause of many diseases and tailor drugs and treatment Cori, chemist Linus Pauling, and astronomer Edwin Hubble.) procedures to the genetic make-up of an individual. “We are absolutely delighted to see John Bardeen remembered in this way,” “Despite the tremendous interest in using said Department Head Dale J. Van Harlingen. “It is particularly timely that he nanopores for sequencing DNA, it was unclear is being honored this year; May 23, 2008, will mark the centennial of his birth. how, exactly, nanopores could be used to read the We are very pleased that the Urbana postmaster chose to have the ceremony here DNA sequence,” said Assistant Professor of Physics in Loomis, where Professor Bardeen studied and taught for 30 years.” Aleksei Aksimentiev. “We now describe one such In honor of the event, the Champaign-Urbana Stamp Club has created a method.” (G. Sigalov, J. Comer, G. Timp, and A. first-day cover, incorporating a cachet featuring drawings of Bardeen and of Aksimentiev, “Detection of DNA Sequences Using Loomis Laboratory and bearing the stamp and a special first-day Urbana cancel. an Alternating Electric Field in a Nanopore If you would like to obtain one of the first-day covers, write to Celia Elliott at Capacitor,” Nano Lett. 8, 56–63 [2008]) continued on page 2 [email protected]. I 2 PHYSICS ILLINOIS NEWS • 2008 NUMBER 1 Message from the Head and Chancellor levels that is firmly Condensed Matter Physics (ICMT). When I became head a year ago, committed to engaging the faculty This center, made up of theory faculty one of my goals was to enhance the and department administrators in from Physics and many other depth of the academic experience and his year the following the best path for sustaining departments in the Colleges of the quality of life for students, staff, TDepartment and advancing the stature of our Engineering and Liberal Arts and and faculty. This spring semester, we of Physics and great University. Sciences, will focus on cutting-edge will open two new student lounges, the entire physics Despite the limitations set by the research in condensed matter physics one for the undergraduate Physics community budget, it has been a very good year and its intersections with other majors and one for the graduate celebrated the so far for the Department of Physics disciplines. ICMT will organize research students, on the second floor 50th Anniversary and the University of Illinois. Three rapid-response workshops on key of Loomis Laboratory. We hope that of the BCS faculty were promoted for the issues, sponsor visitors in theory and these lounges will provide a location Theory—the 2007/08 academic year, Naomi experiment, support postdoctoral for students to meet fellow students, remarkable Makins and Taekjip Ha to professor researchers and graduate research relax, exchange ideas, and keep up-to- microscopic theory of super- of physics, and Matthias Grosse students, and serve as center-piece for date on activities in the department. conductivity developed by John Perdekamp to associate professor of interdisciplinary theory research on Our next target is create a faculty staff Bardeen, his postdoc Leon Cooper, physics with indefinite tenure. Nigel campus. We are currently remodeling lounge in space being freed up as the and his graduate student Robert Goldenfeld has been appointed a the 3rd floor of the Engineering library transitions to a more electronic Schrieffer at the University of Illinois Swanlund Endowed Chair, the most Sciences Building to house the ICMT, resource and back volumes of journals, in 1957. This work is arguably the prestigious endowed position on with occupation scheduled for now available online, are archived. single most important scholarly campus, with the formal investiture Summer 2008. We are pleased that All of these projects require achievement to ever come out of ceremony scheduled for March. Joint Paul Goldbart has agreed to serve as resources, and we are warmly the Department and the University Physics and Astronomy Professor the first director of the center, with appreciative of the interest and and earned the authors the 1975 Charles Gammie has been named a Tony Leggett as the chief scientist. financial support that is generously Nobel Prize in Physics. To mark University Scholar, one of the highest Another project underway is to given by our Physics alumni and this occasion, we hosted BCS@50, honors granted by the University of modernize the student-staff machine friends.