CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICISTS

ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES PHYSICIENS ET PHYSICIENNES

Ottawa, March 21st, 2000 - The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) is pleased to announce that the 2000 CAP Herzberg Medal for outstanding achievement by a physicist under the age of 40 will be awarded to Dr. H.C. Liu of the Institute for Micostructural Sciences, National Research Council, for his prolific contributions to the field of semiconductor quantum electronic devices.

Dr. Liu's research is in two areas, quantum well intersubband photodetectors (QWIPs) and high frequency devices. His contributions range from the conception and development of the original idea, through different designs of prototypes, to the actual fabrication and optimization of the device. With funding from the Department of National Defense (Search & Rescue), Dr. Liu developed a novel infrared detector that is presently undergoing system testing now. Building upon this success, and a string of innovative patents, he has worked with Defense Research Establishment Valcartier (DREV) to develop a "pixelless" infrared imaging array based on the monolithic integration of his detectors with light emitting diodes (LEDs). If this novel concept proves production-worthy, it will dramatically slash costs and should have an impact in the civilian marketplace as well. During this same period, he has worked with Defense Research Establishment Ottawa (DREO) to produce similar devices that will be used aboard a satellite to be launched next June.

Dr. Liu's research activities have included many theoretical advances as well as experimental. Typical of his insight into fundamental physics was his construction of an emission/capture model for photoconductivity that has been applied to a wide range of photoconductors. This type of physical insight has led to the conception of several novel designs. Record-high frequency oscillators (up to 712GHz) have been achieved in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Labs.

H.C. Liu received his B.Sc. in Physics from Lanzhou University in China in 1982. He attended graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh where he received his M.Sc. in Physics in 1983 and his Ph.D. in Applied Physics in 1987. During this period he was supported by an Andrew Mellon predoctoral scholarship. Upon graduation, Dr. Liu joined the Institute for Microstructural Sciences at the National Research Council Canada as a Research Associate where he has progressed rapidly through the ranks to Senior Research Officer.

The CAP Herzberg Medal was first introduced in 1970 and is awarded annually. The 2000 Medal will be presented to Dr. Liu during the CAP's awards banquet to be held at York University on 2000 June 6th.

The Canadian Association of Physicists, founded in 1945, is a professional association representing over 1600 individual physicists and physics students in Canada, the U.S. and overseas, as well as a number of Corporate and Departmental Members. In addition to its learned activities, the CAP also undertakes a number of activities intended to encourage students to pursue a career in physics.

For more information, please contact:

Canadian Association of Physicists
Tel: (613) 562-5614
Fax: (613) 562-5615
E-mail: cap@physics.uottawa.ca