Alan Heeger

Alan Heeger
Vogler · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Alan Heeger
Caption	Heeger in 2009
Birth date	22 January 1936
Birth place	Sioux City, Iowa, U.S.
Nationality	American
Fields	Physics, Chemistry
Workplaces	University of Pennsylvania, University of California, Santa Barbara
Alma mater	University of Nebraska–Lincoln (B.S.), University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D.)
Doctoral advisor	Alan Portis
Known for	Conductive polymers, Organic semiconductors
Prizes	Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize (1983), Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2000), National Medal of Science (2007)
Spouse	Ruth Heeger (m. 1955)

Alan Heeger is an American physicist and chemist renowned for his pioneering work in the field of conductive polymers. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000, alongside Alan G. MacDiarmid and Hideki Shirakawa, for the discovery and development of these revolutionary materials. His research has bridged the disciplines of physics and chemistry, leading to foundational advances in organic electronics and plastic electronics. Heeger is a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a co-founder of several technology companies.

Early life and education

Alan Heeger was born in Sioux City, Iowa, and grew up in Akron, Iowa. He demonstrated an early aptitude for science and mathematics. He pursued his undergraduate education at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and mathematics. For his graduate studies, he attended the University of California, Berkeley, completing his Doctor of Philosophy in physics in 1961 under the supervision of Alan Portis. His doctoral research focused on nuclear magnetic resonance in metals, providing a strong foundation in condensed matter physics.

Career and research

Heeger began his academic career as an assistant professor in the Physics Department at the University of Pennsylvania in 1962, where he rose to the rank of professor. His early work at Penn involved studies of one-dimensional metals and charge-density waves. A pivotal shift occurred in the mid-1970s when he initiated a collaboration with chemist Alan G. MacDiarmid, which later included Hideki Shirakawa from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. This team discovered that the polymer polyacetylene could be made highly conductive through chemical doping, a breakthrough that created the field of synthetic metals. Heeger moved to the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1982, where he helped establish the Institute for Polymers and Organic Solids. His subsequent research expanded to include semiconducting polymers, leading to innovations such as polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), organic solar cells, and organic field-effect transistors.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry

In 2000, Alan Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid, and Hideki Shirakawa were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences cited their revolutionary discovery that plastics, after certain modifications, can be made electrically conductive. This work overturned the long-held assumption that polymers were inherently insulators. The prize recognized the profound impact of their research on fields ranging from materials science to molecular electronics. The award ceremony in Stockholm highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of their achievement, which seamlessly merged concepts from organic chemistry and solid-state physics.

Later work and legacy

Following the Nobel Prize, Heeger has remained highly active in research and commercialization. He co-founded companies like UNIAX Corporation, which was acquired by DuPont, and Konarka Technologies, focused on organic photovoltaics. His later scientific work at the University of California, Santa Barbara has continued to explore the fundamental physics of organic semiconductors and their applications in next-generation electronics. He has received numerous other honors, including the National Medal of Science presented by President George W. Bush in 2007. His legacy is evident in the global research effort into flexible electronics and printed electronics, industries that stem directly from his foundational discoveries.

Personal life

Alan Heeger married Ruth Heeger (née Weiman) in 1955. The couple has two sons, including Peter Heeger, a neuroscientist. Heeger has been a vocal advocate for scientific education and research funding. Beyond his scientific pursuits, he has an interest in art and is a supporter of cultural institutions. He maintains an active role in the academic and entrepreneurial communities in Santa Barbara, California.

Category:American physicists Category:American chemists Category:Nobel laureates in Chemistry Category:University of California, Santa Barbara faculty Category:1936 births Category:Living people