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SUMMARY:Serendipity as a Force in Physics - Professor Sir Richard Friend\,
  University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20080222T173000Z
DTEND:20080222T183000Z
UID:TALK8736@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Janet Gibson
DESCRIPTION:Abstract\n\nDiscoveries of the very unexpected do keep happeni
 ng in physics - even in areas previously thought to be settled and classic
 al.   Despite the stifling\noverload of published research and generally o
 ver-busy active fields of research\, carefully chosen experiments that bri
 ng new elements from outside the field can and do reveal surprises.   \n\n
 What are the best steps to follow?  When is it wise to depart from the mai
 nstream\, or pick up techniques and technologies from outside 'physics'?\n
 \nI will select examples from my own work (the development of semiconducto
 r physics based on carbon-based molecular or polymeric materials) and from
  the\nfield of superconductivity.\n\nBiography\n\nProfessor Sir Richard Fr
 iend\, FRS\, FREng\n\nRichard Friend has been a member of the academic sta
 ff in the Department of Physics\, University of Cambridge\, since 1980\, w
 here he is the Cavendish Professor of Physics.  He pioneered the study of 
 organic polymers\nas semiconductors\, and his research group has demonstra
 ted that these materials can be used in wide range of semiconductor device
 s\, including\nlight-emitting diodes and transistors.  He has been active 
 in the process of technology transfer of this research to development for 
 products.  He co-founded Cambridge Display Technology Ltd in 1992 to devel
 op\nlight-emitting diode displays\,  and Plastic Logic Ltd in 2000\, to de
 velop polymer transistor circuits\, and these are now being developed as f
 lexible\nactive-matrix backplanes for e-paper displays.  He is currently w
 orking on the use of polymer and related materials for thin-film solar cel
 ls.  
LOCATION:LMH\, Lady Mitchell Hall
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