Russian scientist Zhores Alferov, who won the Nobel physics prize for his work in semi-conductor and laser technologies, has died, agencies said on Saturday. He was 88, The Economic Times reports.
When Alferov took the prize in 2000, he was the first Russian to win a Nobel since Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was given the peace award in 1990.
The victory provided a boost for the post-Soviet Russian sciences.
"Zhores Alferov died today," his wife said in comments carried by Russian media.