Zhores Ivanovich Alferov, a Nobel Prize winning Russian physicist, made significant contributions to the field of modern heterostructure physics. Born to Byelorussian parents in the early 20th century, Alferov developed a passion for semiconductors during his time as a student at Ul’yanov Electro technical Institute. After completing his BS degree, he joined the prestigious Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute as a junior researcher. Alferov’s exceptional skills and dedication led him to be part of a team that successfully built a special semiconductor device for the first Soviet atomic submarine. This achievement earned him recognition and marked the beginning of a long list of state honors he would receive throughout his career. Despite the delay in obtaining his candidate degree and PhD, Alferov continued to make groundbreaking inventions and eventually rose to become the director of the institute.
Quick Facts
- Died At Age: 88
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Tamara Darskaya (m. 1967), father: Ivan Karpovich Alferov, mother: Anna Vladimirovna, siblings: Marx Alferov, children: Ivan Alferov, Olga Alferova
- Born Country: Belarus
- Physicists
- Russian Men
- Died on: March 1, 2019
- Place of death: Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Notable Alumni: Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University
- Diseases & Disabilities: Hypertensive Emergency
- Grouping of People: Nobel Laureates in Physics
- More Facts
- Education: Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University
- Awards: Global Energy Prize (2005), Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology (2001), Nobel Prize in Physics (2000), Demidov Prize (1999), Ioffe Prize (Russian Academy of Sciences 1996), USSR State Prize (1984), Lenin Prize (1972), Stuart Ballantine Medal (1971)
Childhood & Early Life
Zhores Ivanovich Alferov was born on March 15, 1930, in Vitebsk, Byelorussia, which was then a part of the U.S.S.R. His parents, Ivan Karpovich Alferov and Anna Vladimirovna, were of Byelorussian ancestry. His father was a member of the Bolshevik party and worked as a factory manager. His mother was a librarian and also headed a public organization for housewives. Zhores had an elder brother named Marx, who died in World War II.
Education and Career Beginnings
After the war, Zhores attended the only boys’ school in the destroyed city of Minsk and graduated in 1947. He developed an interest in physics under the influence of his teacher, Yakov Borisovich Meltserson. Following Meltserson’s advice, Zhores entered the Department of Electronics at the Ul’yanov Electrotechnical Institute in Leningrad. He started working on semiconductors and vacuum processes and graduated with a BS degree in Electronics in 1952.
Research and Achievements
In 1953, Alferov joined the Physico-Technical Institute as a junior researcher. He and his team created the first Soviet p-n junction transistor and later developed the first Soviet germanium power rectifiers. They also worked on germanium photodiodes and silicon. In 1958, they were tasked with developing a special semiconductor device for the first Soviet atomic submarine, which they successfully accomplished.
Alferov earned his candidate degree of sciences in technology in 1961 and began working on III-V semiconductor heterostructures. In 1964, he proposed the first heterostructure laser and in 1966, his team developed the first practical heterostructure electronic device. He became the head of the laboratory at the Physico-Technical Institute in 1967 and continued his research in the United States in 1969.
Later Career and Political Involvement
Alferov earned his PhD in 1970 and continued his work at the Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute. In 1987, he became the Director of the institute and served as the Vice-President of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He also entered politics and became a member of the State Duma representing ‘Our Home – Russia’. He later joined the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and was re-elected to the Duma multiple times.
Major Contributions and Awards
Alferov is best known for his research on III-V semiconductor heterostructures, which laid the foundation for optical semiconductors and solar cells. His work made the Soviet Union’s Sputnik program possible and contributed to the development of bar-code readers and cellular telephone communications. In 2000, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to semiconductor heterostructures. He also received numerous other awards and honors throughout his career.
Personal Life and Legacy
Alferov married Tamara Darskaya in 1967 and had a successful career as a physicist and academic. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of a Russian journal and was a member of the Editorial Board of another Russian journal. Alferov passed away on March 1, 2019, at the age of 88.
Trivia
Alferov was among the ten eminent academicians who expressed concern about the introduction of religious education into the public education system in Russia in 2007.