EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

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History of Experimental Physics Department

      The foundation of the Chair of Experimental Physics and the beginning of the scientific research falls on 1872 when there was performed separation of the Mathematical Physics Chair of Lviv University Philosophy Department. The first chair head became Tomasz Stanecki. He was being at the head of the chair till 1891. Expansion of the chair and the appearance of present-day building in 1897 are associated with Ignacy Tshaska-Zakrzewski, who was the chair head from 1892 to 1920.
      In 1920 Roman Negrusz became at the chair head. Significant successes on diffraction study of multi-dimensional structures and on the investigation of radioactivity were attained at that time. Fundamental optical and spectroscopy research topics were appeared and developed thanks to Marian Smoluchowski and Stanislaw Loria, who was leading the chair from 1927 to 1941, when Lviv University was closed in connection with the Second Word War. Physicist-theorist S.Loria established the Institute of Physics, were intensive investigation on phosphorescence, energy distribution of emission spectra and light absorption by metal vapor were beginning.
      In 1944 the chair renewed its scientific and pedagogical work with V.A.Kucher as the holder. At the same tame V.S.Miliyanchuk initiated new research direction on atomic spectroscopy and influence of the non-homogeneous field on atomic spectra. The chair of general physics was separated from the experimental physics chair in 1945. In the following years the holders of the chair of experimental physics were D.D.Lazebnyk (1947 - 1948), O.I.Andrievsky (1948 -1949), N.V.Ponyrko (1949 - 1953). Then an enlargement of optical spectroscopy investigation were going on and diffraction methods of crystal study (V.P.Tsvetkov) and new crystal growth procedures (F.M.Alemakin, B.O.Belikovych) were mastered.

In 1953 - 1962 the holder of the chair was being L.K.Klimovska. In this time notable advance has been made in the studying of the crystal spectroscopy (L.K.Klimovska, V.N.Vishnevsky, O.B.Lyskovych), the semiconductor physics (M.V.Pashkovsky, O.I.Andrievsky), X-ray metal physics (V.P.Tsvetkov, N.F.Kravtsova, Ya.O.Dutchak, Ya.O.Zakharko, O.G.Mykolaichuk), electrophysics (B.M.Paliukh, R.M.Kushnir), astrophysics (M.S.Eigenson, S.A.Kaplan). New areas of the investigation had enabled to segregate in 1958 a new chair of the Solid state physics, which have soon (1963 - 1964) separated on the chair of the X-ray physics of metals (Ya.O.Dutchak), the solid state physics and the semiconductors physics (by M.V.Pashkovsky). New chair formation allows focusing the attention on training of the optical-spectroscopy specialists.
      V.N.Vishnevsky was being at the head of the chair in 1962 - 1976. Then exploration into the crystal luminescence and VUV-spectroscopy was gathering force. Expanded in the seventies by O.G.Vlokh investigation of nonlinear and paramagnetic optics led to the electrogyration phenomenon discovery. In 1977 - 1996 the holder of the chair was being M.O.Romanyuk. Some co-workers of the chair in 1979 formed in 1979 the new chair of nonlinear optics, headed by O.G.Vlokh. In that time the investigations into the spectroscopy of nonlinear optics material, the energy band structure of solid state, the fast luminescence process and the birefringence inversion were started. Since 1996 I.V.Stefansky heads the chair.
      The chair annually realizes schooling of the experts from two specialities: “Physics” and “Optoelectronics” in two specializations: “Optics and spectroscopy” and “Lasers and laser engineering”.
      In a personnel concerning the schooling of the experts is ensured with 4 professors, 5 senior lecturers, 1 assistants, 5 workers of training and support part and 2 workers of a research part. Among them the honoured professor of Lviv national university Mykola O. Romanyuk and winner of the premium of Ukraine Academy of Science of the name A.F.Prihot'ko professor Yaroslav O. Dovhyj.
      Traditional tight scientific contacts the chair supports with Lviv scientific and industrial organizations, Institute of physics of Ukraine Academy of Science, Taras Shevchenko national university of Kyiv and with a series of foreign establishments in Darsberry, Oxford (England), Hamburg (Germany), Wroclaw, Poznan, Czestochowa (Poland), Lyons (France), Athenes (Greece), Zurich (Switzerland), Minsk (Belarus), Riga (Latvia), St.-Petersburg (Russia). In common, the chair ensures fundamental schooling in optics of crystals, which enables it alumnuses to work in modern areas of physics, applied physics and laser engineering.
      Among more than 1200 graduates are the academicians, about 30 Dr. Sc. and 170 Ph.D., directors of schools, technical school and factories. Of them except named are: M.S.Brodin, I.A.Klymyshyn, P.G.Ivanytsky, A.O.Borshch, E.V.Petrovych, E.V.Sobolev, G.P.Mamchur, K.M.Sal’kova, I.V.Kityk, I.M.Bolesta, A.O.Matkovsky, Y.D.Nabytovych, I.P.Polovynko, M.M.Vakiv, B.G.Mytsyk, O.B.Lyskovych, Ya.M.Bondarchuk, Yu.P.Gnatenko.