Ivar Giaever

By: Matt VanDerWerff

Facts About Ivar

-Born in Bergen, Norway on April 5, 1929

-Graduated in 1952 with degree in mechanical engineering

-Giaever emigrated to Canada in 1954

-He obtained a Ph.D. in Physics in 1964

Fields Giaever Worked In

-Thin Films-Thin material layers used in experiments

-Tunneling-A particle can penetrate unexplored space regions

-Superconductivity-Occurs in some materials at extremely low temperatures

Thin films

-One micron thick

-Conductive or dielectric (non-conductive)

-Used in myriad applications

Tunneling

-Quantum mechanics

-Passing of particle through a seemingly impenetrable barrier

-Without cause that is explainable by classical physics.

Superconductivity

-Phenomenon observed in several metals and ceramic materials

-When these materials are cooled to temperatures

-They have no electrical resistance in this state

Other Fields

-Solid State Physics

-Biophysics

Biophysics

-Discipline concerned applications principles physical sciences biological problems

-Deals with biological functions depend on physical agents

Solid State Physics

-Branch of physics concerned with experimental/theoretical investigations

-Properties solids, such as superconductivity, photoconductivity, and ferromagnetism

Ivar Giaever on Global Warming

-Not concerned about it’s effects

-Thinks it is just a passing crisis fad

-We will wait to see it gets worse

Greenhouse Gases

-The atmosphere has a natural supply of greenhouse gases

-They capture heat-without the greenhouse effect…

-The planet would be an uninhabitable, frozen wasteland.

Global Warming

-Too much greenhouse effect causes Global Warming

-Global Warming heats up the planet

-Melts ice and destroys arctic wildlife habitat

Prizes He Won

-Oliver E. Buckley Prize combining tunneling and superconductivity

-The 1973 Nobel Prize in Physics

-Zworkin Award 1974

Bibliography

Nobel Lectures, Physics 1971-1980, Editor Stig Lundqvist, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1992

Naomi Oreskes. Beyond the Ivory Tower: The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change. Science. 3 December 2004. Vol. 306. no. 5702, p. 1686 DOt 10.1126/science.1103618. www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686