Set up in 1955.
Basic research trends of the Institute are:
- fundamental studies of growth processes for crystals and nano-systems; search for new crystalline media with functionally important characteristics; scientific foundations of nano-technologies;
- integrated studies of physical phenomena in optical single crystals, nanosystems and their physico-chemical properties;
- the theory of non-linear phenomena, transport and structure-formation in condensed matter.
Major achievements and developments:
- Scientists of the Institute have developed a technological cycle, based on Stepanov method, for growing shaped sapphire single crystals intended for manufacturing a wide range of medical products (intricate-shape implants, including those of friction-pair type), tubes of round, square, ellipsoid sections, ribbons, prisms, H- and U- profiles, rods etc.
- To manufacture high-efficiency electroluminescence light sources, a technology has been developed for growing sapphire of high-perfection structure, optical quality and chemical purity from alumina with horizontally oriented crystallization. The novel technology has been implemented in pilot production. A 2.5-fold reduction in crystal cost has been achieved. Production of 220 x 220 x 30 mm sapphire crystals has beens organized.
- A new technology of high-speed growth of large nonlinear optical KDP and DKDP single crystals has been developed. Those optical elements are used in the installations of controlled nuclear fusion. New radiation-sensitive KDP crystals for detecting thermal neutrons in mixed gamma-fields have been produced.
- For the first time ever, large-sized laser AIIBVI crystals have been grown from the melt with Bridgemen method. They are intended for optical elements of infrared power optics and compact semiconductor gamma-detectors.
- A technological process has been developed to grow ZnSe:Cr2+ crystals for producing active elements of frequency-controlled lasers of the middle infrared range, thus providing record-making values of efficiency factor in continuous and pulse laser regimes. Such lasers have a unique set of performances that permit their wide application in medicine, engineering and scientific research.
