Microdisk Lasers First Developed in China

A series of China-made microdisk lasers (8μm, 4.5μm and 2μm in diameter respectively) have recently passed appraisal, which claimed: "Partial indexes have reached the international leading level…they can be used as an ideal source of light for information highway."

The device was developed by the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, CAS. According to the person in charge, micro-disk lasers are disk-shaped microcavity lasers that are produced by the latest super-fine processing technology and super-thin material, featuring high integration and low noise level. The most distinguished performance is low power consumption, and one million lasers work simultaneously with a total power consumption of 5 watts. The product is said to have a very bright prospect of application in such fields as optical telecommunication, optical network and optical information processing. It may be used for large-scale integrated circuit of photo-electronic devices, and, in combination with fiber telecommunication network and devices of large or super large-scale integrated circuit, it may form an integrated network of photo-electronic information. It is the optimal source of light for modern information highway. Besides, it can be integrated with other photo-electronic units and used for logic operation, hence very important to facilitating the development of photo-electronic technology in China.

General Compression Software with Superior Performances Developed

With the extensive use of multi-media information and rapid popularization of Internet, information compression software has become one of the most widely used applications. Recently, the Jiuzhou Corp. under the Institute of Software, CAS has made an important breakthrough in the development of compression software with proprietary copyrights whose performances are by far superior to like products in the international market, such as "Yabao" and "SmartComprez". The software has a more advantageous efficiency of compression in text, image and sound information than similar products from abroad, the average compression efficiency of the former being several times the latter. Besides, after compression and decompression, the text information is completely consistent with the original, and the images and sound are very clear.

The product adopts an innovative technology that has been patented in the US. Notification of the patent was made by the US Patent Agency on 1 February 2002. Application for Chinese patent has also been filed.

So far, development of its Windows version has been completed. Commercialization has also begun. It has passed the trial test by domestic companies including Legend, Great Wall and Square, and it will be sold together with their PCs.

Engineered, Insect-resistant Holandric Chinese White Poplar Successfully Bred

Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa) is a tree most frequently seen in north China with strong adaptability, fast growth, large size and great height. It is indeed an excellent choice for windbreak. Breeding and producing insect-resistant holandric systems of Chinese white poplar by genetic engineering and tissue culture technology are an effective approach to addressing the issue of pollution to human living environment caused by tremendous catkin, which is released from poplar and allergic to certain groups of people. The Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CAS has successfully developed a detoxified holandric system of poplar by selecting qualified fast-growing holandric explants of Chinese white poplar and through tissue culture. A specially-desgined BT gene is then implanted into the system to acquire an insect-resistant, fast-growing holandric series of white poplar with stable expression. The achievement will be of great benefit to the environment protection & ecological projects, city forestation and construction of farmland & woodland network in North China and part of the northwest.