半导体异质结及其在光电子学中的应用-2000年诺贝尔物理奖评述

瑞典皇家科学院2000年10月10日宣布，将2000年诺贝尔物理奖授予三位科学家，他们是俄罗斯科学院圣彼得堡约飞技术物理研究所的Zh.I.Alferov、美国加利福尼亚大学的Herbert Kroemer和美国德克萨斯仪器公司的Jack S.Kiby，以表彰他们为现代信息技术，特别是他们发明的高速晶体管、激光二极管和集成电路(芯片)所作出的奠基性贡献。Kilby由于发明并发展了集成电路技术而获奖，通过这项发明，微电子学成为所有现代技术的基础。Kilby的获奖成果已有另文(见2000年第3期《物理》)评述。Alferov和Kromer则是由于他们在半导体异质结及其在电子和光电学中的应用方面的突出贡献则获奖。该文仅就这两位诺贝尔物理奖得主在异质结及其在光电子中的应用方面的贡献进行评述。

Integration' in the US coastal zone management program

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the existing US Coastal Zone Management (CZM) program represents Integrated Coastal Management (ICM). The actions taken at Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 as part of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) could eventually impact the policies of the US in such a way as to encourage better integration of US coastal and ocean management efforts.

Efficient Electrophosphorescence from a Platinum Metallopolyyne Featuring a 2,7-Carbazole Chromophore

The synthesis, thermal and emission properties of an electrophosphorescent platinum(II) metallopolyyne polymer consisting of 9-butylcarbazole-2,7-diyl spacer P1 are described. The optical and electronic properties of P1 are compared to their molecular diplatinum(II) and digold(I) model complexes. The photophysical properties of P1 are somehow analogous to its 2,7-fluorene-linked congener but differs significantly from that for the 3,6-carbazole derivative. Its optical band gap is notably reduced as compared to that for the 3,6-carbazole analog. Multi-layer polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) were fabricated with P1 as the emitting layer which gave a strong green-yellow electrophosphorescence. The best PLED can reach the maximum current efficiency of 4.7 cd . A(-1) at 5 wt.-% doping level, corresponding to an external quantum efficiency of 1.5%. This represents the first literature example of efficient PLEDs exhibiting pure triplet emission under electrical excitation for metallopolyynes without the concomitant singlet emission.

Aberrant expression of X-linked genes RbAp46, Rsk4, and Cldn2 in breast cancer

The consequence of activation status or gain/loss of an X-chromosome in terms of the expression of tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes in breast cancer has not been clearly addressed. In this study, we investigated the activation status of the X-chromosomes in a panel of human breast cancer cell lines, human breast carcinoma, and adjacent mammary tissues and a panel of murine mammary epithelial sublines ranging from low to high invasive potentials. Results show that most human breast cancer cell lines were homozygous, but both benign cell lines were heterozygous for highly polymorphic X-loci (IDS and G6PD). On the other hand, 60% of human breast carcinoma cases were heterozygous for either IDS or G6PD markers. Investigation of the activation status of heterozygous cell lines revealed the presence of only one active X-chromosome, whereas most heterozygous human breast carcinoma cases had two active X-chromosomes. Furthermore, we determined whether or not an additional active X-chromosome affects expression levels of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. Reverse transcription-PCR data show high expression of putative tumor suppressor genes Rsk4 and RbAp46 in 47% and 79% of breast carcinoma cases, respectively, whereas Cldn2 was down-regulated in 52% of breast cancer cases compared with normal adjacent tissues. Consistent with mRNA expression, immunostaining for these proteins also showed a similar pattern. In conclusion, our data suggest that high expression of RbAp46 is likely to have a role in the development or progression of human breast cancer. The activation status of the X-chromosome may influence the expression levels of X-linked oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes.

Infrared heater arrays for warming ecosystem field plots

There is a need for methodology to warm open-field plots in order to study the likely effects of global warming on ecosystems in the future. Herein, we describe the development of arrays of more powerful and efficient infrared heaters with ceramic heating elements. By tilting the heaters at 45 degrees from horizontal and combining six of them in a hexagonal array, good uniformity of warming was achieved across 3-m-diameter plots. Moreover, there do not appear to be obstacles (other than financial) to scaling to larger plots. The efficiency [eta(h) (%); thermal radiation out per electrical energy in] of these heaters was higher than that of the heaters used in most previous infrared heater experiments and can be described by: eta(h) = 10 + 25exp(-0.17 u), where u is wind speed at 2 m height (m s(-1)). Graphs are presented to estimate operating costs from degrees of warming, two types of plant canopy, and site windiness. Four such arrays were deployed over plots of grass at Haibei, Qinghai, China and another at Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA, along with corresponding reference plots with dummy heaters. Proportional integral derivative systems with infrared thermometers to sense canopy temperatures of the heated and reference plots were used to control the heater outputs. Over month-long periods at both sites, about 75% of canopy temperature observations were within 0.5 degrees C of the set-point temperature differences between heated and reference plots. Electrical power consumption per 3-m-diameter plot averaged 58 and 80 kW h day(-1) for Haibei and Cheyenne, respectively. However, the desired temperature differences were set lower at Haibei (1.2 degrees C daytime, 1.7 degrees C night) than Cheyenne (1.5 degrees C daytime, 3.0 degrees C night), and Cheyenne is a windier site. Thus, we conclude that these hexagonal arrays of ceramic infrared heaters can be a successful temperature free-air-controlled enhancement (T-FACE) system for warming ecosystem field plots.