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The scientific center
in Chernogolovka extends over an area of about 23 square kilometers (about 9 sq. miles). The residential area occupies slightly more than
1 sq. km.(about 0.4 sq. miles) of this area. The institutes are
located in the forest to the north and west of the residential area. A
20 - 25 minute stroll along shady walking paths through a pine forest
brings you to the laboratory and technological buildings.
Contents:
Chernogolovka -
A Center for Scientific Research
The Scientific
Institutions
Developments and
Technologies
A Pleasant and
Attractive Town
Our children
Recreation,
Sports, and Culture
International
Ties and Business
A Brief History
Pictures of
Chernogolovka
Chernogolovka
- A Center for Scientific Research
The scientific center in
Chernogolovka extends over an area of about 23 square kilometers
(about 9 sq. miles). The residential area occupies slightly more than
1 sq. km. (about 0.4 sq. miles) of this area. The institutes are
located in the forest to the north and west of the residential area. A
20 - 25 minute stroll along shady walking paths through a pine forest
brings you to the laboratory and technological buildings.
The scientific center of the
Academy of Sciences began to develop in the mid-fifties, unifying
various institutes. The idea of locating several mutually
complementary scientific research institutions together outside of a
big city stemmed from the very character of development of modern
science, which is complex and requires the unified efforts of teams of
scientists, engineers, and technicians with different specializations.
The scientific center in Chernogolovka was not originally planned as a
unified whole. Appearing in 1956 as a suburban experimental branch of
the Moscow Institute of Chemical Physics, the scientific center was
joined by other institutes. Now it is a complex of scientific
establishments of the Russian Academy of Sciences; these are mainly
physical and physicochemical institutes with a well-equipped
experimental base.
The main fundamental problems
the institutes deal with are investigating the structure and
transformation of substances in various physicochemical conditions,
establishing ties between the structure and properties of substances,
and creating the scientific basis of new technological processes,
materials, and artificial low-dimensional structures for new
technologies. Investigations in modern fields of solid state physics,
chemistry and chemical physics, theoretical and mathematical physics,
mathematics, and biology are conducted in Chernogolovka.
The
Scientific Institutions
The largest of all the
scientific institutions of the center is the
Institute
of Chemical Physics in Chernogolovka, where fundamental problems
of chemical physics are studied: kinetics and mechanisms of chemical
and biological processes; processes of combustion, explosion, and
polymerization; and mechanisms of elementary reactions involving high
energy particles.
The second largest institute is
the Institute of Solid State Physics,
where investigations in low-temperature and dislocation solid state
physics, superconductivity, electron kinetics, the physics of
low-dimensional systems, high-pressure physics, and the physics of
materials technology are successfully being carried out.
The scientific activity of the
youngest institute, the
Institute of
Structural Macrokinetics, began in 1988 and is developing in the
following directions: general and structural macrokinetics, processes
of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, applied materials
technology, and the creation of technological processes for obtaining
inorganic materials.
The main focus of work at the
Institute
of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials is
investigation of physical bases for quality control in semiconducting
materials and microelectronic structures, the technology for preparing
micro- and nanostructures, electrical and optical properties of
metallic and semiconducting nanostructures, and the operating
principles of X-ray optical elements.
The
Institute
of Experimental Mineralogy conducts fundamental investigations
into the processes of ore formation. These studies aim to solve how to
find deposits of useful minerals by studying models that reproduce
under laboratory conditions the processes of matter transfer taking
place in open systems under the pressure, temperature, and chemical
compositions found in the crust and mantle.
At the
Institute
of Physiologically Active Compounds, investigations are conducted
in the areas of synthesis, the study of structures, physicochemical
properties, and the mechanisms of action by physiologically active
substances of various classes, including agricultural preparations,
enzymes, and proteins.
The work of the
Institute
for New Chemical Problems is devoted to fundamental investigations
into the chemistry of new materials, solid state ionics, synthesis of
inorganic compounds, and development of the production technology for
refractory metal powders and new materials based on them.
The
Landau
Institute for Theoretical Physics is a unique center for
theoretical physics created by the students of Academician L.D.
Landau, after whom the institute was named. The spectrum of the
institute's scientific directions embraces many fields of modern
theoretical and mathematical physics: solid state theory,
superconductivity, field theory, elementary-particle theory, and
theoretical investigations in astrophysics. The presence of a strong
group of theoreticians in the scientific center and its close
cooperation with other institutes helps greatly in solving fundamental
scientific problems.
A branch of the
Institute
of Energy Problems in Chemical Physics carries out research in the
following basic directions: chemical- physical processes governing the
solution of new energy problems, the mechanisms of physico-energetic
action on nature and technical objects, the application of various
types of radiation in developing new energy-saving and ecologically
clean processes, radiation and laser chemistry, and mass spectroscopy.
The cosmochemistry laboratory of
Moscow's
Vernadsky Institute
of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry was established in
Chernogolovka as a special low-background laboratory for the study of
radioactive meteorites and lunar probes using modern methods for
measuring radiation.
The presence of suitable forest
tracts near Chernogolovka determined the creation in our generally
physicochemical scientific center of an experimental base of Moscow's
Severtsev
Institute of Ecology and Evolution for the development of work on
the ecological behavior of wild animals.
A somewhat unusual matter for
the scientific center was organizing the first industrial enterprise
in the Academy of Sciences system, the
Experimental
Factory of Scientific Instrumentation, to produce equipment for
scientific investigations and tools that automatically control
experiments. Founded in 1972, the factory is now one of the best
producers of scientific equipment in Russia and stands out for its
high level of production and excellent technical equipment.
Developments
and Technologies
Research by scientists from
Chernogolovka's scientific center in various areas of fundamental
physics, chemical physics, and chemistry is recognized all over the
world. In recent years, an active search has been underway for ways to
speed up the pace of scientific and technological achievements in
production.
The results of applied research
by scientists from the
Institute of
Chemical Physics on the development of catalytic processes,
including processes of enzyme catalysis, nitrogen fixation,
hydrocarbon oxidation, and the preparation of new medicinal compounds,
have received wide attention.
Also of great interest is
technology developed by specialists from the
Institute
of Solid State Physics to produce articles of a desired shape from
single crystals of sapphire or from heat- and shock-resistant
structural ceramics for engines, armored protection, and other
applications. Technology for the preparation of magnetic recording
elements using amorphous ferromagnetic materials and technology for
deformation polishing optical elements for laser equipment were also
developed at this institute.
Great progress has been made by
specialists at the
Institute of
Microelectronics Technology in developing methods to obtain and
analyze high purity materials for electronic applications, and in the
technology of preparing x-ray optical elements, nanostructures, and
structures of silicon on a dielectric for the preparation of highly
stable microcircuits.
Of great practical importance is
technology using self-propagating high-temperature synthesis that is
being developed at the
Institute of
Structural Macrokinetics to obtain various inorganic compounds, as
well as articles and coatings from these compounds. Over 500 compounds
and materials of practical interest have already been produced, and
several dozen new technologies, many of which have been produced
industrially, have been created.
The scientists of the
Institute
for New Chemical Problems have achieved considerable success in
developing technology to produce ultrafine powders of refractory
metals, and in developing a physicochemical basis for ecologically
friendly complex treatment of metallurgical raw materials.
Among the achievements by the
Chernogolovka branch of the
Institute
of Energy Problems in Chemical Physics in the area of applied
research, we should point out the development of a new type of
time-flight mass spectrometer with ionization at atmospheric pressure,
which has a sensitivity three orders of magnitude higher than that of
existing devices. Also created in this branch was a complex for laser
monitoring the environment and determining the influence of
destruction of the planet's ozone layer and of increasing doses of
biologically active ultraviolet light on the biosphere. One of the
important technological developments of this Branch is the
plasma-chemical method of modifying the surfaces of polymeric
materials, including elastomers.
Products from the
Experimental
Factory of Scientific Instrumentation are well known in Russia and
neighboring countries: electron and ion guns; Auger-electron
analyzers; energy and mass analyzers; gas and liquid chromatographs;
NMR and EPR spectrometers; installations for molecular beam epitaxy;
automized units for the growth of "acoustic",
"laser", and other single crystals; and various electronic
devices for automation and data analysis.
A
Pleasant and Attractive Town
The scientific center was
developed according to a unified plan without significant destruction
of its natural setting. The town is literally built among forested
tracts surrounding and intersecting Chernogolovka. Although the
residential zone is fairly compact, its architecture is varied,
reflecting the dominant trends in Russian urban development over the
last 40 years: from one- and two-story houses to 14- to 17-story
apartment buildings. The residents of Chernogolovka live in modern,
well-designed apartments and houses; in the summer, many relax on
their garden plots 5 - 20 kilometers (3 - 12 miles) from the village.
In Chernogolovka, all the
necessities for life's normal activities have been anticipated. Roomy
movie/concert halls and sports facilities provide rich possibilities
for recreation and exercise. On a hot summer day, it is pleasant to
stroll down forest paths and trails, relax at the northern or southern
man- made lake, sunbathe, or swim. In winter, skiers are served by a
lighted ski trail and a man-made mountain for descents.
The economic transformation
taking place in this country has led to an expansion in trade and
services. The fresh air market and sales booths of the
"commercial wave" successfully compete with stores that were
recently part of the government system. There are private clothing
stores, hair salons, and cafes, in addition to the earlier existing
government establishments for household services and food.
Our
Children
Almost a quarter of
Chernogolovka's residents are children. There are dozens of
educational, sports, cultural/recreational, and preschool
organizations for their development, education, and recreation.
Various approaches are used in
their scholastic education. The majority of children go to three
schools that are joined into one
Pupil's
educational center under the direction of the Russian Academy of
Education. In the lycee which is part of this center, students from
the upper grades are chosen on a competitive basis for more in-depth
study of math and physics or humanities. Some of the 5- to 10-year-old
children study in the municipal cultural- educational complex and
other new educational institutions with nontraditional methods of
teaching. Children eagerly attend fine arts school, where they are
acquainted with music, painting, and vocal arts.
Sports occupy an important place
in our children's lives. Children from the sports school and sports
club hold their classes in the rooms and pools of the sports complex,
on the skiing trails and tennis courts, and in the summer and winter
stadiums. Among our children, the most popular sports are rhythmic
gymnastics, biathlon, swimming, and team sports. The Chernogolovka
school of ballroom dancing is well known. People from throughout
Russia and even other countries come to Chernogolovka to participate
in the traditional competitions "Podmoskovnie Vechera"
(Suburban Moscow Evenings) and "Snezhnyi Bal" (the Snow
Ball).
Our children's summer recreation
is a special concern of our academic and municipal organizations.
Summer vacation is a time of various children's camps, nature trips,
and excursions. Chernogolovka was one of the first to revive the
Scouts in Russia. Also popular in Chernogolovka are family outings.
Recreation,
Sports, and Culture
There are surprisingly varied
possibilities for recreation in Chernogolovka. In the forests
surrounding the town, there are many berries and mushrooms. The forest
paths are suitable for running and, in the winter, for ski outings. At
the lakes to the north and south, you can not only sunbathe and swim
on a hot summer day but also go fishing or wind-surfing. The Sherna,
which flows near Chernogolovka and is one of the prettiest creeks in
the Moscow area, is a favorite spot for short canoeing trips.
There are also wonderful
conditions in Chernogolovka for sports lovers. Near the southern lake
on warm summer days, the playing grounds of the sports area are always
well populated. On these soccer fields and tennis, volleyball, and
basketball courts gather both experienced and beginning players. In
the winter, most of the sports clubs use the halls and pools of the
sports complex. Here train swimming, badminton, basketball,
volleyball, wrestling, and gymnastics groups, as well as various
individual and other types of sports. Among the workers of the
scientific center, mountain sports enjoy special popularity: alpinism,
cliff climbing, and alpine skiing. The mountain enthusiasts do their
pre-season training on specially constructed climbing facilities built
in the sports complex and on a man-made sand mountain near the
southern lake.
The cultural life in
Chernogolovka is rich and varied. Famous people in literature and the
arts and interesting young performers are frequent guests at the
Scientists' House in the scientific center. In the halls of the
Scientists' House and the House of Culture one can find masterful
performances by instrumental and vocal ensembles or see exhibitions of
paintings. The residents of Chernogolovka are not devoid of talent,
which they realize through poetry associations, theater and art
studios, clubs for self-composed songs, and folklore and instrumental
ensembles.
International
Ties and Business
Our scientists have a long
history of international scientific contacts; multilateral ties
between Chernogolovka's residents and citizens of other countries have
been developing rapidly since the beginning of the nineties. At the
initiative of Josef Schneider, the mayor of the Bavarian city
Neubiberg, Chernogolovka and Neubiberg officially became sister cities
in 1991. Every year, dozens of Chernogolovkans go to Bavaria and
residents of Neubiberg come to Chernogolovka as part of children's,
sports, professional, and other exchanges. At the initiative of the
sister communities, construction of the "Bavarian House," a
center for business and cultural cooperation, has been started in
Chernogolovka. The center will be used in organizing meetings and
maintaining contacts in the areas of science, business, and culture.
Despite its rather short history
and small size, Chernogolovka is well known, especially in scientific
circles. Chernogolovka's scientists and institutes have established
scientific ties with many world scientific centers, universities, and
companies in the United States, western Europe, and Japan. Several
international conferences and seminars are held every year in
Chernogolovka. Our top scientists serve on the organizing committees
for large, traditional conferences in physics, chemistry, and biology
held in Moscow, Chernogolovka, and other cities throughout the world.
The reduction in government
support of science and the development of market-style relationships
in Russia in the late eighties and early nineties have stimulated
Chernogolovka's private sector and pushed the academic institutions to
reorganize in order to accelerate the movement of scientific
developments into production.
There are already more than 300
different associations, stock- issuing companies, and individual
private enterprises in town; a few enterprises have been formed with
the participation of foreign capital. Branches of commercial banks,
insurance companies, and investment funds all operate here. More than
100 firms aggressively operate here, turning over more than a billion
rubles per month. Scientific and technological research has been
partially commercialized, dozens of commercial and consulting
enterprises of a scientific-technical character have been formed, and
contacts have been established with foreign firms. At the present
time, a series of joint companies based on unique technological
developments and methods have been formed with western firms.
Undoubtedly, the greatest
potential for making this town prosperous lies in high technology, and
production based on it is the key to the town's future. The physical
location of the scientific center, its intellectual potential, social
composition, and features of the system for administering public
property make Chernogolovka one of the most promising places for
realizing a modern model of organization, that is, an economical
mechanism for driving innovative processes. The main problem of the
present period is preserving and putting to commercial use the
intellectual potential of the scientific center, as well as creating a
powerful technological team in Chernogolovka. Solution of this problem
assumes the formation of specialized financial, consulting, and
informational institutions. These include scientific and venture funds
in combination with expert advice, banks, investment and insurance
companies, licensing companies, a reliable system of
telecommunications, legal and consulting firms for the support of
entrepreneurial activities, and a system of modern hotel service.
A
Brief History
The scientific center of the
Academy of Sciences was founded in 1956 near the village of
Chernogolovka, located 20 km (12 miles) north of the city Noginsk. The
name of the settlement and the river Chernogolovka appeared centuries
ago. In ancient times, this region, called Chernogolovl', was a
district of a grand duchy and dates from the time of the great Moscow
prince Ivan I (fourteenth century). In the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, the district Chernogolovl' had abundant forest game and,
therefore, served as a favorite place for the kings to take in some
"amusement and fresh air," that is, to go on various types
of hunts. The first official references to the village of
Chernogolovka date to 1710; the time when the village appeared can be
fixed between 1681 and 1710. The settlement Chernogolovka was located
along the Stromyn road; three versts (3.2 km or 2 miles) away lay the
main Troitskii road from the town of Bogorodsk (now Noginsk) to the
famous Troitse-Sergiev Monastery (formerly Zagorsk, now Sergiev
Posad). An inn was located in the settlement along Main Stromyn Road.
At the end of the eighteenth century, little Stromyn experienced a
rebirth when the Ivanov- Shuiskii industrial region appeared to the
northeast of Moscow. Horses pulled raw materials and finished products
through Moscow along Main Stromyn Road. Tourist firms use the modern
hotel complex in Chernogolovka in organizing excursions to the ancient
Russian temples of the twelfth to fifteenth centuries, which are
located 100 - 150 km (60 - 95 miles) to the north and east of
Chernogolovka in the towns of Yur'ev-Pol'skii, Suzdal', Vladimir, and
Pereyaslavl'-Zalesskii.
Pictures of
Chernogolovka
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Institute of Microelectronics
Technology and High Purity Materials RAS