MaNEP News

MaNEP news - page 2

Feedback / 1500 visitors enjoyed the SupraFête in Geneva
Over 100 collaborators from both MaNEP and the physics department at UniGE took part in the organization of the SupraFête, on June 8 to 10.	It proved a beautiful success with some 1500 visitors and large media coverage. The SupraFête celebrated the '87 Nobel Prize which rewarded the discovery of high tc superconductors in 1986 by Dr Alex Müller and Dr Georg Bednorz at IBM Zurich. Dr Bednorz was our special guest for the launch conference on Friday which was followed by 2 days of entertaining activities about superconductivity. Especially successful was the SupraKids which hosted original science activities (challenges, drawing competition, nitrogen ice creams,	levitation devices, etc.) for children. The short introduction MaNEP movie on superconductors was praised and should be shown at PSI, CERN, CNRS and schools in the future. The new large levitating demo called the SupraSurf will also travel a bit before setting up in the future Geneva Physiks Park for students. Lab visits and special exhibitions completed the menu of this exceptional event. We thank our partners ABB and Bruker Biospin for their presence, and again all the collaborators for their fantastic work.

Cables / Nexans seek advice from MaNEP and CERN experts by M. Kuhn
On July 13, Nexans’ François Cochet visited MaNEP at UniGE to discuss cost effective methods to shield high voltage electric cables against entering and outgoing magnetic fields.	The effects of electromagnetic fields on the human body are not well understood, but there is a general worry about them. Governments thus set low limits in sensitive areas like train stations or schools. In Switzerland, there is a 1 micro-tesla limit in such locations. Solutions were discussed between Nexans, MaNEP and CERN. Very pure iron has good shielding properties and is much cheaper than “Mu-metals”. But there are technical challenges with the manufacturing of the cables concerning constraints in the way the	shielding can be applied. Nexans wille valuate this option further and continue the screening of materials. The meeting was concluded by a visit at Prof. Flükiger’s lab, where superconducting cables are synthesized. Nexans (www.nexans.com) is a world leader for the production and commercialization of electrical cables, including high Tc superconducting ones. [picture : François Cochet, Andreas von Kaennel and Prof. René Flukiger]

Awards / Congratulations Henrik and Kai Phillip
First Lewy-Bertaut Prize The European Crystallographic Association and European Neutron Scattering Association have awarded the first Lewy-Bertaut prize to Henrik Ronnow.	Formerly at PSI and ETH, Henrik has been apointed tenure track professor at EPFL, where he is now setting up a laboratory for quantum magnetism. 2007 EURYI Awards A post doc in the group of Frédéric Mila at EPFL, Dr Kai Phillip Schmidt is one of the 20 researchers who have	been awarded the 2007 European Young Investigators prize. The rewarded project concentrates on Exotic phases and excitations of unconventional Mott insulators.