Hidden simplicity

After more than twenty years of intense research on high-temperature cuprate

superconductors, volumes of data have been amassed detailing the behavior of these

fascinating materials. Versatile shapeshifters, the cuprates change from an insulator,

to a superconductor, to a "strange" metal (that is, a metal that can't be described as

a Fermi liquid), all within a relatively narrow range of temperatures and carrier

doping. The comprehensive description of this clash of different phases of matter is a

formidable task at the heart of modern condensed-matter physics. In particular, no

theory has managed to consistently describe the properties of the strange metal within

one framework.

Now, in a paper appearing in Physical Review Letters, Philip Casey and Philip Anderson

of Princeton University generalize the hidden Fermi-liquid theory, which they developed

in their earlier work, to provide a self-consistent description of the strange metal

state. Their theory offers a natural explanation of a variety of spectroscopic and

transport experiments on cuprates.

Casey and Anderson's idea is based on the ansatz that the strange metal phase of the

cuprates is described by an ordinary, well-understood Fermi-liquid theory that exists,

but which is hidden in an unphysical Hilbert space (an analog of a Platonic world). In

this picture, projecting the familiar Fermi liquid back into the physical world (i.e.,

making a measurement) converts the Fermi liquid into the experimentally observed

strangeness. If Casey and Anderson's theory withstands further experimental scrutiny,

it will surely be a leap forward in our understanding of the cuprates.

Steve Longoria Joins Soitec as SVP of Worldwide Strategic Business Development to Drive FD-SOI Adoption

Soitec (Euronext Paris), the world's leading supplier of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and

advanced solutions for the electronics and energy industries, today announced the

appointment of Steve Longoria to Senior Vice President Worldwide Strategic Business

Development. An industry veteran with extensive experience and a proven track record

primarily at IBM Microelectronics, Longoria joins Soitec's leadership team with

responsibility for strategic business development activities worldwide, to drive FD-SOI

adoption. This appointment comes at a very strategic time for the company, as the SOI

Industry Consortium recently announced the substantial advantages of FD-SOI for next-

generation mobile and consumer applications.

"With his extensive knowledge of the overall microelectronics business and deep

understanding of the role substrates play in chip design and manufacturing, Steve

Longoria is a perfect fit for our senior management team," says Paul Boudre, Chief

Operating Officer of Soitec. "He has consistently demonstrated sharp business

development acumen and organizational management skills in the context of an

international senior management team. This makes him an outstanding choice to drive the

adoption of our new FD-SOI platform for mobile consumer devices. As such, Steve will

also work closely with the SOI Industry Consortium and its members, as well as

foundries and the 'fabless' community."

Longoria brings over 20 years of experience and success in sales, engineering and

management on the cutting-edge of technology, leading and implementing complete

technology product solutions. During his long career at IBM, Longoria's many roles

included vice president of semiconductor solutions, where he was responsible for the

external semiconductor business targeted at the infrastructure and consumer markets.

Most recently he was VP of Asia Pacific sales with NetLogic Microsystems.

The Soitec Group is the world's leading innovator and provider of the engineered

substrate solutions that serve as the foundation for today's most advanced

microelectronic products. The group leverages its proprietary Smart Cut(TM) technology

to engineer new substrate solutions, such as silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers, which

became the first high-volume application for this proprietary technology. Since then,

SOI has emerged as the material platform of the future, enabling the production of

higher performing, faster chips that consume less power.

Today, Soitec produces more than 80 percent of the world's SOI wafers. Headquartered in

Bernin, France, with two high-volume fabs on-site, Soitec has offices throughout the

United States, Japan and Taiwan, and a new production site in Singapore.

EnPro closes on Pipeline Seal and Insulator acquisition

EnPro Industries Inc. has closed on the acquisition Pipeline Seal and Insulator Inc.

The deal included the Houston-based company’s affiliates, a privately owned group of

companies that make products for pipeline distribution systems.

The cash deal is valued at $100 million.

Pipeline Seal and Insulator primarily serves the oil and gas industry and water and

wastewater infrastructure markets. The company will become part of EnPro’s Garlock

family of companies.

Charlotte-based EnPro (NYSE:NPO) makes sealing products, metal polymer bearings,

compressor systems, diesel engines and other engineered products.

Pipeline Seal and Insulator operates facilities in the United States, Germany and the

United Kingdom. The company has 200 employees with additional locations in Dubai,

United Arab Emirates, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Read more: EnPro closes on Pipeline Seal and Insulator acquisition | Charlotte Business

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