Ceremony on the day of the 170th anniversary of Ludwig Boltzmann’s birthday
Commemorating Ludwig Boltzmann’s death on September 5, 1906
On the 170th Anniversary day of Ludwig Boltzmann’s birth, on February 20, 2014, a ceremony was held at the “Ples” Building (Duino no. 76), the building in which Boltzmann passed away on September 5, 1906, to unveil a commemorative plate.
Unveiling the plate to commemorate Ludwig Boltzmann
Unveiling of a commemorative plate in memory of Ludwig Boltzmann (photograph by courtesy of Dieter Fasol)
The text inscribed on the commemorative plate reads:
In questa casa si spense il grande Fisico Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann
V tej stavbi je preminil veliki Fizik Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann
In diesem Haus verschied der große Physiker Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann
In this building the great Physicist Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann passed away
S = k log W
Vienna – Dunaj 20/2/1844
Duino – Devin 5/9/1906
Unveiling of a commemorative plate in memory of Ludwig Boltzmann (photograph by courtesy of Dieter Fasol)
Ludwig Boltzmann celebration program
Unveiling ceremony of the commemorative plate
Greeting by the Deputy Mayor of Duino Aurisina, Dr. Massimo Veronese
Greeting by the United World College (UWC) Adriatic Rettore, Dr. Michael Price
Vadim Lacroix: Sergej Rachmaninov – Preludio in do diesis min. op. 3. n. 2
Greetings from the UWC Adriatic President, Ambassador Ginafranco Facco Bonetti
Speech by Ms Ilse Maria Fasol Boltzmann
Candy Tong: Claude Debussy – Syrinx per flauto solo
Speech by Professor Ginacarlo Ghirardi, Professor Emeritus at the Universita degli Studi di Trieste
Scientific introduction by Professor Francesco Mussardo, Professor of Theoretical Physics at SISSA, Trieste
Seif Labib & Vadim Lacroix: Franz Schubert – Fantasia in fa minor op. 103 D940, Allegro molto moderato e Largo
JVC Kenwood Chairman Haruo Kawahara speaks on Revitalization of Japanese Industry and his turnaround of Kenwood from bankruptcy. “Speed is like fresh food”
by Haruo Kawahara, Representative Director and Chairman of the Board of JVC KENWOOD Corporation
1970s: overwhelmed with vertical integration and self-sufficiency
1980s: appreciation of the yen (1985 Plaza Accord)
1990s: collapse of the Bubble (1991), relocation of production to Asia, three excesses:
debt
facility
employment
2000s: lost 20 years
Going forward, Japan has the option of growth under new business models, or continue to stagnate with matured industries
While there is dramatic global market expansion in many business areas in the global electrical industry, e.g. for Lithium Ion Batteries, DVDs, Car navigation units, DRAM, Japan’s market shares are falling in most sectors. For example, Japanese market shares for LCD, DVD players, Lithium Ion batteries, or car navigation units have fallen from almost 100% global market share 5-10 years ago to 10%-20% today.
Restructuring mature industry can generate more economic benefit than innovating a new industry:
large established market, although low growth
reduced number of players in the market following consolidation
Revitalization of JVCKENWOOD
the current main business as the core – not new business
speed, like “fresh food”
eliminate hidden waste and loss costs
eliminate vested rights
Kenwood in 2002 was in a disastrous condition:
net income: YEN -27 Billion (= US$ -270 million)
debt: YEN 110 Billion (= US$ 1.1 billion)
accumulated losses: YEN 45 Billion (= US$ 450 million)
net worth: YEN -17 Billion (= US$ -170 million)
Restructuring by March 2003:
Financial restructuring: Dept/equity swap. Moved from YEN 17 billion negative net worth to positive within 6 months
Business restructuring: focus on core business. Terminated cellular phone business.
Management restructuring: management consolidation. Eliminate huge wastes and losses in subsidiaries.
Restructuring in FY2003 achieved a V-shape recovery. Net income margin was improved from -8% in FY3/2002 to 2%-4% in recent years.
In mature markets, growth is achieved through M&A, reducing the number of players in the market. As the top player in the market, profitable growth improved:
Main four players in the car electronics after-market before Kenwood-JVC merger:
Pioneer
Kenwood
Sony
JVC
after the JVCKENWOOD merger, and restructure to minimize losses from the TV business:
JVCKENWOOD
…
…
JVC and KENWOOD formed a capital and business alliance in July 2007, followed by management integration in October 2008, and a full merger in October 2011. The business portfolio was restructured, and in particular big losses in the TV business were reduced. Fixed costs were reduced by 40% by selling off assets, reduction of production and sales sites, and 25% voluntary retirement.
This structural reform was completed in the FY3/2001, and led to another V-shaped recovery, and to profitable growth under the new medium term business plan.
The JVC-KENWOOD merger led to big jumps in market share in many markets, and thus to very much improved profitability.
Why did Japan’s mass production type electronics fail?
Answer: Japanese management failed to deal with globalization and digitalization.
Other factors that contributed to Japan’s failure are vertical integration, technology leakage from exporting production facilities, insufficient added value compared to the high Japanese labor costs, and lack of money for investment, because Japanese companies largely relied on bank loans instead of equity.
Japan’s heavy electrical industry on the other hand is competitive – why?
1. Creative know-how in the heavy electrical industry is in human brains, therefore more difficult to leak to competitors under Japan’s employment circumstances.
2. huge capital investment is needed, and almost fully depreciated in Japan. Therefore the depreciation costs exceeds HR costs.
How can Japan become competitive again?
Japan needs to accelerate growth strategies in those areas, where Japan has competitive advantage, and where Japanese industries can differentiate themselves. Examples are industrial areas which depend on a long-term improvements and advanced technologies, and techniques of craftsmen, and in next generation technologies.
JVC KENWOOD takes action to innovate
JVCKENWOOD invested in a venture capital fund: the WiL Fund I, LP to reinforce alliances with potential ventures in Japan and overseas
JVCKENWOOD invested in ZMP Inc. to promote car telematics and car auto-control
Haruo Kawahara, Chairman of JVCKenwoodHaruo Kawahara, Chairman of JVCKenwood
Fukushima nuclear accident commission Chairman Kiyoshi Kurokawa explains the cause of the nuclear accident and says: “Groupthink can kill”. Watch videos.
by Kiyoshi Kurokawa, Academic Fellow of GRIPS and former Chairman of Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission by National Diet of Japan
summary written by Gerhard Fasol
Professor Kurokawa set the stage by describing the uncertain times, risks and unpredictabilities in which we live – while at the same time internet connects us all, all while the world’s population increased from about 1 billion people in 1750 to about 9 billion people today.
Major global risks in terms of impact and likelihood are (General Annual Conference 2013 of the World Economic Forum):
severe income disparity
chronic fiscal imbalances
rising greenhouse gas emissions
cyber attacks
water supply crisis
management of population aging
corruption
Top trends for 2014, ranked by global significance (World Economic Forum, Outlook on global agenda 2014):
rising social tensions in Middle East and North Africa
widening income disparity
persistent structural unemployment
intensifying cyber threats
diminishing confidence in economic policies
lack of values in leadership
the expanding middle class in Asia
This changing world needs a change of paradigm:
resilience instead of strength
risk instead of safety
Many recent “Black Swan events” bring home that:
accident happens
machine breaks
to err is human
Fukushima Nuclear Accident Investigation Commission NAIIC of the Japanese Parliament:
Professor Kiyoshi Kurokawa chaired the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) by the National Diet of Japan, which was active from December 8, 2011 to July 5, 2012. While Parliamentary commissions to investigate accidents, problems and disasters are quite frequent in most Western democracies, this was the first time ever in the history of Constitutional Democratic Japan, that a Parliamentary investigation commission was constituted.
Examples of Parliamentary commissions in other western democracies are:
Three Mile Island, USA 1979
Space Shuttle Challenger, USA 1986
9.11 Terrorist Attack, USA 2001 and many many many more in USA
Oslo’s shooting incident, Norway 2011
Mad Cow Disease, UK 1997-, and several Parliamentary commissions every year in UK
Fukushima Nuclear Accident Investigation Commission of the Japanese Parliament NAIIC key results: Fukushima nuclear disaster was caused by “regulatory capture”
The key result of the Parliamentary Commission is, that the Fukushima nuclear disaster was caused by “regulatory capture”, a phenomenon for which there are many examples all over the world and which is not specific to Japan. Regulatory capture was studied by Goerge J Stigler, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1982 for “for his seminal studies of industrial structures, functioning of markets and causes and effects of public regulation”.
Since the full report of the Independent Parliamentary Commission NAIIC is long and complex to read, few people are likely to read the full reports and watch the videos of all sessions.
Therefore short summary videos the key results of the Independent Parliamentary Commission NAIIC were prepared both in Japanese and in English.
The simplest explanation of The National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission NAIIC Report (English):
1. What is the NAIIC?
2. Was the nuclear accident preventable?
3. What happened inside the nuclear plant?
4. What should have been done after the accident?
5. Could the damage be contained?
6. What are the issues with nuclear energy?
わかりやすいプロジェクト 国会事故調編
１。国会事故調ってなに？
２。事故は防げなかったの？
３。原発の中でなにが起こっていたの？
４。事故の後対応をどうしたらよかったの？
５。被害を小さくとどめられなかったの？
６。原発をめぐる社会の仕組みの課題ってなに？
“Groupthink can kill”
We need leaders to be accountable, and we need to understand that “Groupthink” can lead to disasters.
We need the obligation to dissent instead of compliance.
The Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) was like a hole body CT scan of the Governance of Japan.
Richard Feynman when charing the Space Shuttle Accident investigation wrote in 1986: “for a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.
For his work chairing the Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) Professor Kurokawa was selected as one of “100 Top Global Thinkers 2012” by Foreign Policy “for daring to tell a complacent country that groupthink can kill”.
Professor Kurokawa was awarded the AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award “for his courage in challenging some of the most ingrained conventions of Japanese governance and society.
“Japan is clearly living in denial, water keeps building up inside the plant, and debris keeps piling up outside of it. This is all just one big shell game aimed at pushing off the problem until the future”, New York Times, quotation of the day, September 4, 2013 Professor Kiyoshi Kurokawa
Professor Kiyoshi KurokawaProfessor Kiyoshi Kurokawa
Ludwig Boltzmann created much of the basic fundament of today’s physics. Ludwig Boltzmann also was an outstanding leader. Talk by Gerhard Fasol.
(Gerhard Fasol, CEO of Eurotechnology Japan KK. Served as Associate Professor of Tokyo University, Lecturer at Cambridge University, and Manger of Hitachi Cambridge R&D Lab.)
Ludwig Boltzmann, the scientist
Ludwig Boltzmann’s greatest contribution to science is that he linked the macroscopic definition of Entropy which came from optimizing steam engines at the source of the first industrial revolution to the microscopic motion of atoms or molecules in gases, this achievement is summarized by the equation S = k log W, linking entropy S with the probability W. k is the Boltzmann constant, one of the most important constants in nature, linked directly to temperature in the SI system of physical units. This monumental work is maybe Boltzmann’s most important creation but by far not the only one. He discovered many laws, and created many mathematical tools, for example Boltzmann’s Equations, which are used today as tools for numerical simulations of gas flow for the construction of jet engines, airplanes, automobiles, in semiconductor physics, information technology and many other areas. Although independently discovered, Shannon’s theory of noise in communication networks, and Shannon’s entropy in IT is also directly related to Boltzmann’s entropy work.
Ludwig Boltzmann, the leader
Ludwig Boltzmann was not only a monumental scientist, but also an exceptional leader, teacher, educator and promoter of exceptional talent, and he promoted many women.
One of the women Ludwig Boltzmann promoted was Henriette von Aigentler, who was refused permission to unofficially audit lectures at Graz University. Ludwig Boltzmann advised and helped her to appeal this decision, in 1874, Henriette von Aigentler passed her exams as a high-school teacher, and on July 17, 1876, Ludwig Boltzmann married Henriette von Aigentler, my great-grand mother.
Another woman Ludwig Boltzmann promoted was his student Lise Meitner (Nov 1878 – Oct 27, 1968), who later was part of the team that discovered nuclear fission, work for which Otto Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize. Lise Meitner was also the second woman to earn a Doctorate degree in Physics from the University of Vienna. Element 109, Meitnerium, is named after Lise Meitner.
Nagaoka Hantaro, First President of the University of Osaka – Ludwig Boltzmann’s pupil
The first President of Osaka University (1931-1934), Nagaoka Hantaro (1865 – 1950) was Ludwig Boltzmann’s pupil around 1892 – 1893 at Muenchen University.
Ludwig Boltzmann, a leader of science
Ludwig Boltzmann was connected in intense discussions with all major scientists of his time, he travelled extensively including three trips to the USA in 1899, 1904 and 1905, about which he wrote the article “Die Reise eines deutschen Professors ins El Dorado”, published in the book “Populäre Schriften”.
Ludwig Boltzmann published his first scientific publication at the age of 21 years in 1865. He was appointed Full Professor of Mathematical Physics at the University of Graz in 1869 at the age of 25 years, later in 1887-1888 he was Rektor (President) of the University of Graz at the age of 43 years.
He spent periods of his professional work in Vienna, at Graz University (1869-1873 and 1876-1890), at Muenchen University (1890-1894). When working at Muenchen University, he discovered that neither he nor his family would not receive any pension from his employment at Muenchen University after an eventual retirement or in case he dies before retirement, and therefore decided to return to Vienna University in 1894, where he and his family were assured of an appropriate pension. During 1900-1902 he spent two years working in Leipzig, where he cooperated with the Nobel Prize winner Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald.
Ludwig Boltzmann did not shy away from forceful arguments to argue for his thoughts and conclusions, even if his conclusions were opposite to the views of established colleagues, or when he felt that philosophers intruded into the field of physics, i.e. used methods of philosophy to attempt solving questions which needed to be solved with physics measurements, e.g. to determine whether our space is curved or not. Later in his life he was therefore also appointed to a parallel Chair in Philosophy of Science, and Ludwig Boltzmann’s work in Philosophy of Science is also very fundamentally important.
I discovered the unpublished manuscripts of Boltzmann’s lectures on the Philosophy of Science, stimulated and encouraged by myself, and with painstaking work my mother transcribed these and other unpublished manuscripts, and prepared them for publication, to make these works finally accessible to the world, many years after Ludwig Boltzmann’s death.
Ludwig Boltzmann was a down to earth man. He rejected the offer of Nobility by His Majesty, The Emperor of Austria, i.e. the privilege to be named Ludwig von Boltzmann (or a higher title) instead of commoner Ludwig Boltzmann. Ludwig Boltzmann said: “if our common name was good enough for my parents and ancestors, it will be good enough for my children and grand children…”
Summary: understanding Ludwig Boltzmann.
Boltzmann’s thoughts and ideas are a big part of our understanding of the world and the universe.
His mathematical tools are used every day by today’s engineers, bankers, IT people, physicists, chemists… and even may contribute to solve the world’s energy problems.
Ludwig Boltzmann stood up for his ideas and conclusions and did not give in to authority. He rejected authority for authority’s sake, and strongly pushed his convictions forward.
What can we learn from Ludwig Boltzmann?
empower young people, recognize and support talent early.
exceptional talent is not linear but exponential.
move around the world. Connect. Interact.
empower women.
don’t accept authority for authority’s sake.
science/physics/nature need to be treated with the methods of physics/science.
(by Gerhard Fasol, CEO of Eurotechnology Japan KK. Served as Associate Professor of Tokyo University, Lecturer at Cambridge University, and Manger of Hitachi Cambridge R&D Lab.)
(in preparing this talk, I am very grateful for several email discussions and telephone conversations, and for unpublished presentations and documents, to Dr Michael de Podesta MBE CPhys MInstP, Principal Research Scientist at the National Physical Laboratory NPL in Teddington, UK, who has greatly assisted me in understanding the current status of work on reforming the SI system of units, and also his very important work on high-precision measurements of Boltzmann’s constant. Dr Michael de Podesta’s measurements of Boltzmann’s constant are arguable among the most precise, of not the most precise measurements of Boltzmann’s constant today, and therefore a very important contribution to our system of physical units).
Boltzmann constant k, the definition of the unit of temperature and energy
Temperature is one of the physics quantities we use most, and understanding all aspects of temperature is at the core of Ludwig Boltzmann’s work. People measured temperature long before anyone knew what temperature really is: temperature is a measurement of the average kinetic energy of the atoms of a substance. When we touch a body to “feel” its temperature, what we are really doing is to measure the “buzz”, the thermal vibrations of the atoms making up that body.
For an ideal gas, the kinetic energy per molecule is equal to 3/2 k.T, where k is Boltzmann’s constant. Therefore Boltzmann’s constant directly links energy and Temperature.
However, when we measure “Temperature” in real life, we are not really measuring the true thermodynamic temperature, what we are really measuring is T90, a temperature scale ITS-90 defined in 1990, which is anchored by the definition of temperature units in the System International, the SI system of defining a set of fundamental physical units. Our base units are of fundamental importance for example to transfer semiconductor production processes around the world. For example, when a semiconductor production process requires a temperature of 769.3 Kelvin or mass of 1.0000 Kilogram, then accurate definition and methods of measurement are necessary to achieve precisely the same temperature or mass in different laboratories or factories around the world.
second: The second is the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom.
metre: The meter is the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299 792 458 of a second.
kilogram: The kilogram is the unit of mass; it is equal to the mass of the international prototype of the kilogram.
Ampere: The ampere is that constant current which, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross-section, and placed 1 meter apart in vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force equal to 2 x 10-7 newton per meter of length.
Kelvin: The kelvin, unit of thermodynamic temperature, is the fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water.
mole:
The mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon 12
When the mole is used, the elementary entities must be specified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, or specified groups of such particles.
candela: The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 x 1012 hertz and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian.
The definitions of base units has long history, and are evolving over time. Today several of the definitions are particularly problematic, among the most problematic are temperature and mass.
SI base units are closely linked to fundamental constants:
second:
metre: linked to c = speed of light in vacuum
kilogram: linked to h = Planck constant.
Ampere: linked to e = elementary charge (charge of an electron)
Kelvin: linked to k = Boltzmann constnt
mole: linked to N = Avogadro constant
candela:
Switch to a new framework for the SI base units:
Each fundamental constant Q is a product of a number {Q} and a base unit [Q]:
Q = {Q} x [Q],
for example Boltzmann’s constant is:
k = 1.380650 x 10-23 JK-1.
Thus we have two ways to define the SI system of SI base units:
we can fix the units [Q], and then measure the numerical values {Q} of fundamental constants in terms of these units (method valid today to define the SI system)
we can fix the numbers {Q} of fundamental constants, and then define the units [Q] thus that the fundamental constants have the numerical values {Q} (future method of defining the SI system)
Over the next few years the SI system of units will be switched from the today’s method (1.) where units are fixed and numerical values of fundamental constants are “variable”, i.e. determined experimentally, to the new method (2.) where the numerical values of the set of fundamental constants is fixed, and the units are defined such, that their definition results in the fixed numerical values of the set of fundamental constants. This switch to a new definition of the SI system requires international agreements, and decisions by international organizations, and this process is expected to be completed by 2018.
Today’s method (1.) above is problematic: The SI unit of temperature, Kelvin is defined as the fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature at the triple point of water. The problem is that the triple point depends on many factors including pressure, and the precise composition of water, in terms of isotopes and impurities. In the current definition the water to be used is determined as “VSNOW” = Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water. Of course this is highly problematic, and the new method (2.) will not depend on VSNOW any longer.
In the new system (2.) the Kelvin will be defined as:
Kelvin is defined such, that the numerical value of the Boltzmann constant k is equal to exactly 1.380650 x 10-23 JK-1.
Measurement of the Boltzmann constant k:
In order to link the soon to be fixed numerical value of Boltzmann’s constant to currently valid definitions of the Kelvin, and in particular to determine the precision and errors, it is necessary to measure the value of Boltzmann’s current in terms of today’s units as accurately as possible, and also to understand and estimate all errors in the measurement. Several measurements of Boltzmann’s constants are being performed in laboratories around the world, particularly at several European and US laboratories. Arguably today’s best measurement has been performed by Dr Michael de Podesta MBE CPhys MInstP, Principal Research Scientist at the National Physical Laboratory NPL in Teddington, UK, who has kindly discussed his measurements and today’s status of the work on the system of SI units and its redefinition with me, and has greatly assisted in the preparation of this article. Dr Podesta’s measurements of Boltzmann’s constant have been published in:
Michael de Podesta et al. “A low-uncertainty measurement of the Boltzmann constant”, Metrologia 50 (2013) 354-376.
Dr Podesta’s measurements are extremely sophisticated, needed many years of work, and cooperations with several other laboratories. Dr. Podesta and collaborators constructed a highly precise resonant cavity filled with Argon gas. Dr. Podesta measured both the microwave resonance modes of the cavity to determine the precise radius and geometry, and determined the speed of sound in the Argon gas from acoustic resonance modes. Dr Podesta performed exceptionally accurate measurements of the speed of sound in this cavity, which can be said to be the most accurate thermometer globally today. The speed of sound can be directly related to 3/2 k.T, the mean molecular kinetic energy of the Argon molecules. In these measurements, Dr. Podesta very carefully considered many different types of influences on his measurements, such as surface gas layers, shape of microwave and acoustic sources and sensors etc. He achieved a relative standard uncertainty of 0.71. 10-6, which means that his measurements of Boltzmann’s constant are estimated to be accurate to within better than on millionth. Dr. Podesta’s measurements directly influences the precision with which we measure temperature in the new system of units.
Over the last 10 years there is intense effort in Europe and the USA to build rebuild the SI unit system. In particular NIST (USA), NPL (UK), several French institutions and Italian institutions, as well as the German PTB (Physikalische Technische Bundesanstalt) are undertaking this effort. To my knowledge there is only very small or no contribution from Japan to this effort, which was surprising for me.
What is today’s best value for the Boltzmann constant k:
by: Kenichi Iga, Former President and Emeritus Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology. Inventor of VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting lasers), widely used in photonics systems
VCSEL: how Kenichi Iga invented Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers
My invention of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL) dates back to March 22, 1977. Today VCSEL devices are used in many applications all over the world. I was awarded the 2013 Franklin Institute Award, the Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science, “for the conception and development of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser and its multiple applications in optoelectronics“. Benjamin Franklin’s work is linked to mine: Benjamin Franklin in 1752 discovered that thunder originates from electricity – he linked electronics (electricity) with photons (light). After 1960 the era of lasers began, we learnt how to combine and control electrons and photons, and the era of optoelectronics.
If you read Japanese, you may be interested to read an interview with Genichi Hatakoshi and myself, intitled “The treasure micro box of optoelectronics” which was recently published in the Japanese journal OplusE Magazine by Adcom-Media.
Electrons and photons
Who are electrons? Electrons are just like a cloud expressed by Schroedinger’s equation, which Schroedinger postulated in 1926. Electrons can also be seen as randomly moving particles, described by the particle version of Schroedinger’s equation (1931).
Where does light come from? Light is generated by the accelerated motion of charged particles.
Electrons also show interference patterns. For example, if we combine the 1s and 2p orbitals around a nucleus, we observe interference.
In a semiconductor, electrons are characterized by a band structure, filled valence bands and largely empty conduction bands. The population of hole states in the valence bands and of electrons in the conduction bands are determined by the Fermi-Dirac distribution. In typical III-V semiconductors, generation and absorption of light is by transitions between 4s anti-bonding orbitals (the bottom of the conduction band) and 4p bonding orbitals (the top of the valence band).
In Japan, we are good at inventing new types of vertical structures:
in 607, the Horyuji 5-Jyu-no Toh (5 story tower) was built in Nara, and today we have progressed to building the 634 meter high Tokyo Sky Tree Tower.
in 1893, Kubota Co. Ltd. developed the vertical molding of water pipes
in 1977 Shunichi Iwawaki invented vertical magnetic memory
in 1977 Tatsuo Izawa developed VAD (vapor-phase axial deposition) of silica fibers
in 1977 Kenichi Iga invented vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL)
Communications and optical signal transmission
History of communications spans from 10,000 years BC with the invention of language, and 3000 BC with the invention of written characters and papyrus, to the invention of the internet in 1957, the realization of the laser in 1960, the realization of optical fiber communications in 1984, and now since 2008 we see Web 2.x and Cloud.
Optical telegraphy goes back to 200 BC, when optical beacons were used in China: digital signals using multi-color smoke. Around 600 AD we had optical beacons in China, Korea and Japan, and in 1200 BC also in Mongolia and India.
In the 18th and 19th century, optical semaphores were used in France.
In the 20th century, optical beam transmission using optical rods and optical fiber transmissions were developed, which combined with the development of lasers created today’s laser communications. Yasuharu Suematsu and his student showed the world’s first demonstration of optical fiber communications demonstration on May 26, 1963 at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, using a He-Ne laser, an electro-optic crystal for modulation of the laser light by the electrical signal from a microphone, and optical bundle fiber, and a photo-tube at the other end of the optical fiber bundle to revert the optical signals back into electrical signals and finally to drive a loud speaker. For his pioneering work, Yasuharu Suematsu was awarded the International Japan Prize in 2014.
VCSEL: I recorded my initial idea for the surface emitting laser on March 22, 1977 in my lab book.
Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL) have many advantages:
ultra-low power consumption: small volume
pure spectrum operation: short cavity
continuous spectrum tuning: single resonance
high speed modulation: wide response range
easy coupling to optical fibers: circular mode
monolithic fabrication like LSI
wafer level probe testing
2-dimensional array
vertical stack integration with micro-machine
physically small
VCSEL have found applications in many fields, including: data communications, sensing, printing, interconnects, displays.
As an example, the Tsubame-2 supercomputer, which in November 2011 was 5th of top-500 supercomputers, and on June 2, 2011 was greenest computer of Green500, uses 3500 optical fiber interconnects with a length of 100km. In 2012: Too500/Green500/Graph500
IBM Sequoia uses 330,000 VCSELs.
Fuji Xerox introduced the first demonstration of 2 dimensional 4×8 VCSEL printer array for high speed and ultra-fine resolution laser printing: 14 pages/minute and 2400 dots/inch.
VCSEL photonics started from minor reputation and generated big innovation. VCSELs feature:
low power consumption: good for green ICE
high speed modulation beyond 20 GBits/second
2D array
good productivity due to monolithic process
Future: will generate ideas never thought before.
em. President of Tokyo Institute of Technology, Professor Kenichi Iga, inventor of VCSELGerhard Fasol (left), em. President of Tokyo Institute of Technology, Professor Kenichi Iga (right)
Wednesday, 20th February 2013, Embassy of Austria, Tokyo
14:00 Welcome by Dr. Bernhard Zimburg, Ambassador of Austria to Japan
14:10 Gerhard Fasol, “today’s agenda”
14:20 – 14:40 Robert Geller
Professor of Geophysics University of Tokyo, seismologist. First ever tenured non-Japanese faculty member at the University of Tokyo
“A seismologist looks at nuclear power plant safety issues”
14:40 – 15:20 Gerhard Fasol
Physicist. CEO of Eurotechnology Japan KK, served as Assoc Professor at Tokyo University and Lecturer at Cambridge University and Manager of Hitachi Cambridge R&D lab
“Ludwig Boltzmann – the disrespectful revolutionary”
15:40 – 16:20 Kiyoshi Kurokawa
Academic Fellow of GRIPS and former Chairman of Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission by National Diet of Japan
“Creativity, Crazy Ones and Power of Pull”
16:40 – 17:20 Shuji Nakamura
Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara. Inventor of GaN LEDs and lasers, which are the basis for the global LED lighting revolution.
“The global lighting revolution and the changes I want for Japan”
17:20 – 17:30 Gerhard Fasol “Summary”
Followed by reception (private, invitation only)
Registration: latest 10 February 2013 (by invitation only)
Further information:
Gerhard Fasol and
Peter Storer, Minister for Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Austria
Ludwig Boltzmann Forum 2013
Summary
Robert Geller: “A seismologist looks at nuclear power plant safety issues”
Robert Geller gave an overview of large scale earthquakes and tsunamis in different regions of earth, and in history, and explained that large “Tohoku-2011” scale earth quakes and tsunamis do have a finite probability of striking Japan, and need to be taken in to account in the construction of structures such as nuclear power plants. Robert Geller in particular explained and emphasized the risks on the northern coast of Japan, facing the Sea of Japan.
Gerhard Fasol: “Ludwig Boltzmann – the disrespectful revolutionary”
Gerhard Fasol reviewed Ludwig Boltzmann’s life and work, and particular Boltzmann’s efforts to promote open discussion and to destroy dogmatic views, most importantly the rejection of atoms by Oswald’s school of “energetics” and Mach. Ludwig Boltzmann’s work is fundamental in many areas of today’s physics, technology, IT, energy and in many other fields. As a demonstration of Ludwig Boltzmann’s work linking the macrosopic face of Entropy with the statistical properties of atoms and molecules, Gerhard Fasol explained today’s state of development of electrical power production from the entry of mixing of water with different concentrations of salts, from salinity gradients. “Osmotic powerplants”, which are directly based on Boltzmann’s work on the Entropy of mixing, have the potential to be developed into a very important contribution to our future renewable energy mix, although much research still remains to be done, especially in the area of semipermeable membranes.
Kiyoshi Kurokawa: “Creativity, Crazy Ones and Power of Pull – Uncertain Times: Changing Principles”
Kiyoshi Kurokawa laid out the rapid and dramatic changes we are currently facing in our world: the development of the global information revolution, revolutions towards democracy in the arab world, the Sept-11 terror attacks, and the triple disaster in Tohoku in March 2011. As short summary of the information revolution, linked with other major developments of global impact:
web 1.0: 1991-2000 – end of cold war, world wide web, globalization and financial crises: 1990, 1992, 1997
web 2.0: 2001-2010 – 9.11, digital age, wireless, touch panel, growth of emerging economies, BRICs, global financial crisis 2007, and President Barak Obama
web 3.0: 2011- – Arab Spring, and March-11 Tohoku disaster
Paradigm shift of The Principles (Joi Ito, MIT Media Lab, and Kiyoshi Kurokawa, GRIPS):
The principles 1:
RESILIENCE instead of strength
RISK instead of safety
SYTEMS instead of objects
The principles 2:
COMPASSES instead of maps
PULL instead of push
PRACTICE instead of theory
The principles 3:
DISOBEDIENCE instead of compliance
CROWDS instead of experts
LEARNING instead of education
For his work as former Chairman of Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission by National Diet of Japan, Kiyoshi Kurokawa was recently awarded the “Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award” by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Kiyoshi Kurokawa paid particular attention for the deliberations and fact finding by the Independent Investigation Commission was open and transparent, and published globally in Japanese and in English in many different forms. The report itself can be downloaded here: http://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/3856371/naiic.go.jp/index.html
Kiyoshi Kurokawa emphasised the contribution of “Regulatory Capture” to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Important work on “Regulatory Capture” was done by US economist George Stigler, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1982. Kiyoshi Kurokawa emphasized that Regulatory Capture is not specific to Japan, there are many examples throughout the world.
Shuji Nakamura: “The global lighting revolution and the changes I want for Japan”
Shuji Nakamura briefly outlined his inventions of a long series of GaN based devices, GaN LEDs and lasers, which are the basis for the global lighting revolution, and for bluray storage technology. Shuji Nakamura gave us a passionate personal view of his work as a researcher, how he created and experienced the breakthroughs, and some consequences on his personal life. Shuji Nakamura explained how he was accused in a US court by his former employer, and how as a consequence in order to defend himself and his family, he saw himself forced to countersue his former employer in Japanese courts. Shuji Nakamura compared his situation as a researcher in Japan, and now in Santa Barbara, and made some suggestions for change for the position of researchers.
Photos
Contact
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Thursday, 17th February 2011 at the Embassy of Austria in Tokyo
Program
14:00 Welcome by Michael Haider, Cultural Counsellor of the Austrian Embassy
14:10 – 14:40 Gerhard Fasol, “Ludwig Boltzmann: Pioneer of understanding Space and Energy”
15:00 – 15:45 Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) “Japan’s space activities and international space cooperation”
16:00 – 16:30 Kevin Yu Director of Asia Pacific, Tesla Motors Japan “The Tesla Motors Electric Car”
16:30-17:00 Tatsuo Masuda Professor, Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, Advisor JAPEX, and Board Member SOC Corporation “Economics and Geopolitics of Climate Change
Followed by reception (private, invitation only)
Registration: latest 15 February 2011
Further information:
Gerhard Fasol,
Georg Poestinger, Counsellor, Austrian Embassy, Tel 03-3451-8281
Ludwig Boltzmann Energy, entropy, leadership
Summary
Gerhard Fasol: “Ludwig Boltzmann: Pioneer of understanding Space and Energy”
Gerhard Fasol reviewed Ludwig Boltzmann’s pioneering work on space and energy, starting with and overview of Ludwig Boltzmann’s personal live. Boltzmann’s first scientific publication was “Über die Bewegung der Elektrizität in krummen Flächen” (propagation of electricity on curved surfaces) in 1865 at the age of 21 years. This work followed the publication of the Maxwell’s equations by James Clerk Maxwell, in 1861-1862, which of course were a very hot scientific event at that time. All together about 1/5th of Boltzmann’s work was about electro-magnetism.
Ludwig Boltzmann became Full Professor at the age of 25 years at the University of Graz, and at the age of 43 years, became Rektor (= President) of the University of Graz. He travelled extensively, including three trips to the United States of America. Without doubt his frequent travel also encouraged
Boltzmann’s interest in aviation. In Boltzmann’s days, it was not clear yet, which way aviation would be successful, or if it would be successful at all. There were three options: (1) baloons, (2) aerodynamic wings and airscrew, and (3) bird-like flapping wings. Boltzmann clearly prefered and supporte research for flight experiments with aerodynamic wings and airscrews – propellers.
Ludwig Boltzmann worked on the fundamentals of space science, he gave much thought on the irreversibility of time, and on whether space is Euclidic or curved.
Concluding his talk, Gerhard Fasol, reviewed what we can learn here in Japan from Ludwig Boltzmann. It is clear that Japan currently is in a very difficult situation with many challenges. Ludwig Boltzmann’s work clearly points to solutions for some of the challenges facing Japan now, and also indicates some paths to be taken.
Tetsuhiko Ikegami: “Japan’s space activities and international space cooperation”
Dr. Ikegami reminded us of the miracle, that our planet earth holds an only 50 km thin
atmosphere for about 4.5 billion years, and most people on earth are not even conscientously
aware of this miracle.
The Hayabusa space probe was on its way between 2003 – 2010 for more than 7 years, and landed in Australia on 13 June 2010, awaited with great expectation and sympathy. The Minister of MEXT praised JAXA, the Universities and small and medium entreprises, he explained that a Minister of MEXT had never before praised small and medium enterprises before, because in Japan’s silo ministry system, small and medium enterprises are the responsibility of the Economics and Industry Ministry, METI.
The interplanetary kite-craft IKAROS probe consists of a 14 meter x 14 meter sail, and was driven by light pressure from the sun – the light force corresponds to 0.1 gG. A thin-film solar battery and liquid crystals control the light reflection for steering.
In the Japanese population the space program finds great interest and sympathy. Hayabusa’s return encouraged people in an uncertain society. Several books about space and space exploration became best-sellers and were rewarded with prestigious book awards.
In the Japanese population the space program finds great interest and sympathy. Hayabusa’s return encouraged people in an uncertain society. Several books about space and space exploration became best-sellers and were rewarded with prestigious book awards.
Japan is an active participant in the international space station, contributing the Kibo module.
Japan did an exceptionally good job in space, with relatively small budgets compared to US and EU space budgets.
Dr. Ikegami concluded with an outlook on future programs, and on the key issues facing space exploration and space development
Kevin Yu: “The Tesla Motors Electric Car”
Tesla Motors wants to change the global car industry. Why did Tesla start by building an electric sports car, while the world does not really need another sports car? Tesla wanted to make electric cars exciting! After the Tesla Roadster, Tesla will introduce a family saloon, the Tesla S, at about 1/2 the price of the Roadster, and with three battery options to choose from for a driving range of 160, 200 and 300 miles.
Governments cannot pay people enough to bring a breakthrough for electric cars – instead consumers must want to buy electric cars without Government subsidies. To achieve such consumer demand, electric cars must be more exciting, better, higher performance and cheaper than traditional gasoline driven cars.
Tesla uses the same batteries as are used for laptop computers. Therefore advances in battery technology will happen independent of Tesla’s battery procurement. What matters instead is how Tesla uses and manages the energy. Therefore Tesla’s key intellectual property is in energy management and usage, not in battery technology itself.
Tetsuo Masuda: “Economics and Geopolitics of Climate Change”
Climate change originates from the beginning of industrialization in the 18th century. A key issue in order to achieve change in positive directions is political leadership. Since political leadership is usually focussed on short term issues in order to achieve victory at elections, it is necessary to impress the importance of climate change issues on political leaders. Natural disasters, food shortages, huge movements of refugees are events which impact political leaders to take action in the right direction. Developed and developing countries have different interests, and discussions are necessary in order resolve these differences of interest.
Photos
Dr. Ikegami, Chairman of Japan’s Space Commission, explains Japan’s space exploration program
Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) “Japan’s space activities and international space cooperation”Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) “Japan’s space activities and international space cooperation”Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) “Japan’s space activities and international space cooperation”Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) “Japan’s space activities and international space cooperation”
Kevin Yu, Head of Asia-Pac for Tesla Motors, demonstrates a Tesla Roadster
Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (left) and Kevin Yu Director of Asia Pacific, Tesla Motors Japan (center)Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (left) and Kevin Yu Director of Asia Pacific, Tesla Motors Japan (center)Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Kevin Yu, Head of Asia-Pac for Tesla Motors, explains Tesla Roadster’s battery and motor system
Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (right)Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD, Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (right)Michael Haider, Cultural Attache of the Austrian Embassy test drives a Tesla Roadster
Kevin Yu, Head of Asia-Pac for Tesla Motors, explains Tesla Motor’s strategy, while Dr. Ikegami, Head of Japan’s Space Commission listens
Kevin Yu, Head of Asia-Pac for Tesla Motors, explains Tesla Motor’s strategy, while Dr. Ikegami, Head of Japan’s Space Commission listens
Tatsuo Masuda explains geopolitics of global warming
Tatsuo Masuda explains geopolitics of global warmingTatsuo Masuda explains geopolitics of global warming
Reception
Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (left) and Fusae Akamatsu (Goldman Sachs) (right)Tetsuhiko Ikegami, PhD Chairman, Space Activities Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (left)
