By Peter Weiss
Rare in physics, accusations of scientific fraud have sullied the field for the second time in months.
Investigators have concluded that a young, up-and-coming physicist in fields ranging from molecular electronics to superconductivity repeatedly faked data and committed other types of scientific misconduct.
The misdeeds of Jan Hendrik Schön, 32, of Lucent Technologies’ Bell Labs in Murray Hill, N.J., have tainted 25 scientific articles, states a 127-page report issued last week. The report summarizes a 4-month investigation by a five-member committee convened by the company (http://www.lucent.com/news_events/researchreview.html). The panel includes scientists at Bell Labs and elsewhere.