Established on May13, 1960.
Today, the Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering is one of the leading and world-known Ukrainian scientific research centers.
The principal fields of fundamental research done at the Institute are:
- experimental and theoretical physics (electronic phenomena in conducting and superconducting systems; physics of quantum liquids, quantum crystals and cryocrystals; low temperature magnetism; biophysics, low temperature physics of macromolecules);
- mathematics (mathematical physics and mathematical analysis; geometry and topology);
- applied physics.
The results obtained at the Institute have been reported in over 11 000 research papers, 240 monographs and textbooks. The scientific achievements of its researchers have been honored with many state awards (21 State Prizes of Ukraine, 3 Lenin Prizes, 2 USSR State Prizes), international awards (G. Fields Prize and Gold Medal, the Prize of European Physical Society etc.) and many NAS prizes commemorating prominent scientists. Institute’s researchers are co-authors of four registered scientific discoveries. At present 7 NAS academicians, 6 NAS corresponding members, over 80 doctors and 150 candidates of science work at the Institute. Three widely recognized science schools have originated here: those of experimental low-temperature physics (pioneered by L. V. Shubnikov, B. G. Lazarev and B. I. Verkin), theoretical physics of condensed matter (founded by I. M. Lifshitz) and mathematical physics (initiated by V. O. Marchenko). Today they form a reliable basis for scientific research not only in Kharkiv but all over Ukraine. Remarkable scientific results have been obtained in studies of quantum phenomena in liquid and solid helium, novel superconducting structures, phase transitions in magnetic systems, thermophysical properties of atomic and molecular cryocrystals, point-contact spectroscopy. A unique complex of refrigerators for ultralow temperature research at submilli-Kelvin temperatures has been designed and constructed; it has been recognized as a National Asset of Ukraine. The Institute has Mathematical Department, whose researchers develop advanced branches of mathematics.
Since 1975 the Institute has published scientific journal “Low Temperature Physics”, enjoying one of the highest impact factors among Ukrainian academic physical journals and since 2005 – “The Journal of Mathematical Physics, Analysis, Geometry”.
A refrigerator of the system for physical researches at ultralow temperatures, i.e. a dilution cryostat with a hybrid circula-tion system and nuclear demagnetization stage