The 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics
4 October 2005
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2005 with one half to
Roy J. Glauber
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
"for his contribution to the quantum theory of optical coherence"
and one half jointly to
John L. Hall
JILA, University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO, USA and
Theodor W. Hänsch
Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
"for their contributions to the development of laser-based precision spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb technique".
New light on modern opticsAs long as humans have populated the Earth, we have been fascinated by optical phenomena and gradually unravelled the nature of light. This year's Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to three scientists in the field of optics. Roy Glauber is awarded half of the Prize for his theoretical description of the behaviour of light particles. John Hall and Theodor Hänsch share the other half of the Prize for their development of laser-based precision spectroscopy, that is, the determination of the colour of the light of atoms and molecules with extreme precision.
Just like radio waves, light is a form of electromagnetic radiation. Maxwell described this in the 1850s. His theory has been utilised in modern communication technology based on transmitters and receivers: mobile telephones, television and radio. If a receiver or a detector is to register light, it must be able to absorb the radiation energy and forward the signal. This energy occurs in packets called quanta and a hundred years ago Einstein was able to show how the absorption of a quantum (a photon) leads to the release of a photoelectron. It is these indirect photoelectrons that are registered in the apparatuses when photons are absorbed.
Thus light exhibits a double nature – it can be considered both as waves and as a stream of particles. Roy Glauber has established the basis of Quantum Optics, in which quantum theory encompasses the field of optics. He could explain the fundamental differences between hot sources of light such as light bulbs, with a mixture of frequencies and phases, and lasers which give a specific frequency and phase.
The important contributions by John Hall and Theodor Hänsch have made it possible to measure frequencies with an accuracy of fifteen digits. Lasers with extremely sharp colours can now be constructed and with the frequency comb technique precise readings can be made of light of all colours. This technique makes it possible to carry out studies of, for example, the stability of the constants of nature over time and to develop extremely accurate clocks and improved GPS technology.
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Roy J. Glauber, born 1925 (80 years) in New York, NY, USA (US citizen). PhD in physics in 1949 from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics at Harvard University.
John L. Hall, born 1934 (71 years) in Denver, CO, USA (US citizen). PhD in physics in 1961 from Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Senior Scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and Fellow, JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
Theodor W. Hänsch, born 1941 (63 years) in Heidelberg, Germany (German citizen). PhD in physics in 1969 from University of Heidelberg. Director, Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching and Professor of Physics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
Prize amount: SEK 10 million. Glauber is awarded one half and Hall and Hänsch the other half.
****** Chemistry 2005 ******
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005
5 October 2005
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2005 jointly to
Yves Chauvin
Institut Français du Pétrole, Rueil-Malmaison, France,
Robert H. Grubbs
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, USA and
Richard R. Schrock
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA
"for the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis".
Metathesis – a change-your-partners dance
This year's Nobel Prize Laureates in chemistry have made metathesis into one of organic chemistry's most important reactions. Fantastic opportunities have been created for producing many new molecules - pharmaceuticals, for example. Imagination will soon be the only limit to what molecules can be built!
Organic substances contain the element carbon. Carbon atoms can form long chains and rings, bind other elements such as hydrogen and oxygen, form double bonds, etc. All life on Earth is based on these carbon compounds, but they can also be produced artificially through organic synthesis.
The word metathesis means 'change-places'. In metathesis reactions, double bonds are broken and made between carbon atoms in ways that cause atom groups to change places. This happens with the assistance of special catalyst molecules. Metathesis can be compared to a dance in which the couples change partners.
In 1971 Yves Chauvin was able to explain in detail how metatheses reactions function and what types of metal compound act as catalysts in the reactions. Now the "recipe" was known. The next step was, if possible, to develop the actual catalysts.
Richard Schrock was the first to produce an efficient metal-compound catalyst for methasesis. This was in 1990. Two years later Robert Grubbs developed an even better catalyst, stable in air, that has found many applications.
Metathesis is used daily in the chemical industry, mainly in the development of pharmaceuticals and of advanced plastic materials. Thanks to the Laureates' contributions, synthesis methods have been developed that are
more efficient (fewer reaction steps, fewer resources required, less wastage),
simpler to use (stable in air, at normal temperatures and pressures) and
environmentally friendlier (non-injurious solvents, less hazardous waste products).
This represents a great step forward for "green chemistry", reducing potentially hazardous waste through smarter production. Metathesis is an example of how important basic science has been applied for the benefit of man, society and the environment.
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Yves Chauvin, born 1930 (74 years), French citizen. Directeur de Research Honoreur, Institut Français du Pétrole, Rueil-Malmaison, France.
Robert H. Grubbs, born 1942 (63 years) in Calvert City, KY, USA (US citizen). PhD in chemistry in 1968 from Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. Victor and Elisabeth Atkins Professor of Chemistry at California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, USA.
Richard R. Schrock, born 1945 (60 years) in Berne, IN, USA (US citizen). PhD in chemistry in 1971 from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. Frederick G. Keyes Professor of Chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA.
Prize amount: SEK 10 million, will be shared equally among the Laureates.
Picture Courtesy: Random Useless Thoughts 
