Group of Atomic Theory and Computation

History

The group has been organized by M.Ya. Amusia in 1967. The aim was to investigate the possible role of many-electron correlations in atoms. Initially the group was a part of the nuclear physics sector headed by Prof. L.A. Sliv. In 1968 it included four researchers - M.Ya. Amusia, N.A. Cherepkov, S.I. Sheftel and L.V. Chernysheva (at that time at the Computer Center of USSR Academy of Sciences). From the very beginning the group concentrated on investigation of photoionization and electron inelastic scattering. The research was performed in close collaboration with experimentalists from PTI N.V. Fedorenko (PTI Deputy Director at that time), V.V. Afrosimov (now RAS Corresponding Member), Yu.S. Gordeev (now head of a Laboratory), and from Leningrad State University, Prof. T.M. Zimkina.

In 1970 N.A. Cherepkov defended the first Candidate dissertation (PhD) in atomic physics in the group. The first Doctor of Science dissertation (DSc) was defended by M.Ya. Amusia in 1972. Closely affiliated with the group was V.N. Efimov, the first PhD student of M.Ya. Amusia. Efimov is now a world acknowledged expert in three-body problem.

Since that time the number of published papers, the scope of research was increasing rapidly so was the number of group members (mainly by including people employed not by PTI). The cooperation both inside and outside the former Soviet Union (e.g. with Yugoslavia) was rapidly developing. Starting from 1971 the group had its own weekly seminar.

During this time there were defended the following Candidate (PhD) and Doctor of Science (DSc) dissertations (Candidate dissertation advisor was M.Ya. Amusia):

1970 (PhD) - N.A. Cherepkov (1983 - DSc), passed away in 2017,
1972 (DSc) - M.Ya. Amusia, passed away in 2021,
1974 (DSc) - V.N. Efimov (discovered "The Efimov's effect", now Professor at the Washington State University, USA),
1974 (PhD) - V.K. Ivanov (1988 -DSc, now Dean of Physical Mechanical faculty of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Chair of General Physics) ,
1974 (PhD) - S.I. Sheftel (now school-teacher in Israel),
1974 (PhD) - S.G. Shapiro (now in business),
1975 (PhD) - N.B. Avdonina (now Associate Professor at Fairbanks University and Pittsburgh University, USA),
1975 ( ) - A. Tanchich (now Head of the Theory Department, Vincha Institute, Belgrade, Serbian Republic),
1975 (PhD) - I. Pavlin (now in USA),
1977 (PhD) - V.A. Kharchenko (1988 -DSc, now at the Institute of Theor. Atomic and Mol. Physics, Harvard University, USA),
1977 (PhD) - I.S. Lee (1988- DSc, now in business),
1978 (PhD) - A.S. Baltenkov (1989 - DSc, now Professor at the U.A. Arifov Institute of Electronics, Uzbekistan),
1978 (PhD) - S.A. Sheinerman (1995 -DSc, now Professor at the St. Petersburg Maritime University),
1983 (PhD) - M.Yu. Kuchiev (now Professor at the Sydney University, Australia),
1984 (PhD) - V.L. Yakhontov (now visiting scientist in Switzerland),
1985 (PhD) - V.K. Dolmatov (now Professor of the North Alabama University, USA),
1985 (PhD) - V.A. Kilin (2004 - DSc, now Professor, Director of the Center of Overseas Branch Campuses, Tomsk Polytechnic University) ,
1986 (PhD) - A.S. Kheifets (now Professor at the Australian National University, Australia),
1986 (PhD) - A.N. Kolesnikova (Kharlova, now Associate Professor of the Tomsk Polytechnic University),
1988 (Dr.Sc.) - L.V. Chernysheva (now Leading scientist of the Ioffe PTI)
1988 (PhD) - A.V. Solov'ev (1999 - DSc,now leading scientist at the Ioffe PTI of RAS, Professor of the Institute of Advanced Studies, Frankfurt, Germany)
1988 (PhD) - A.V. Korol' (now Associate Professor at the St. Petersburg Maritime University),
1989 (PhD) - V.A. Sosnivker (now in Israel),
1989 (PhD) - V.A. Kupchenko (now at the St. Petersburg Politechnic University,
1993 (PhD) - M.L. Shmatov (now Senior scientist at the Ioffe PTI of RAS)

N.A. Cherepkov (from 1983) and V.K. Ivanov (from 1988) started to organize their own groups. Since then they have their own PhD students, many of which defended their own dissertations. They continued to be members of the common seminar, which took place twice a week from 1983.
The group seminar existed till the end of 1992. Starting from 1993 it became theoretical atomic physics group seminar.
The group of Atomic Theory and Computation actively participated in organization of meetings, on which most important was the International Workshop on photoionization organized in 1990 in Leningrad. This workshop is followed by a series of similar meetings - every second-third year. M.Ya. Amusia. N.A. Cherepkov, V.K. Ivanov were elected members of International Scientific Commeties and Advisory boards, M.Ya. Amusia and N.A. Cherepkov received Humbold Price in 1991 and 1994, respectively. M. Ya. Amusia became Argonne National Laboratory Fellow in 1992 and Joint Institute of Laboratory Astrophysics Fellow in 1993. In 1995, the American Physical society (APS) elected him Fellow. The same year Hebrew University in Jerusalem elected him Lady Davies fellow. From 1998, he became professor of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, keeping his position as Principal scientist at the Ioffe PTI. The same year the Center for Theoretical Studies of Physical Systems at the Clark Atlanta University, USA, elected M. Ya. Amusia Distinguish Associate Member. His biography was included in some Who's Who editions. In 2000, Ioffe PTI and SPb State Politechnical University have nominated the research of M. Ya. Amusia, V. K. Ivanov, N. A. Cherepkov and L. V. Chernysheva "Theory of multielectron effects in atomic processes" for the 2001 State Prize. In 2002, the Russian Academy of Naturalsciences elected M.Ya.Amusia Academician, in 2004 awarded P. L. Kapitsa medal, and in 2018 awarded N.N. Semenov medal, M. Ya. Amusia and L. V. Chernysheva received in 2001 B. P. Konstantinov's Prizes and Medals of PTI, in 2013 Ya. I. Frenkel's Prizes and Medals of PTI, in 2017 A. F. Ioffe Prize “For outstanding work in physics Russian Academy of Sciences with the citation:"Theory of resonance phenomena in the processes of photon, electron and positron interacton with atoms, fullerenes and endohedrals". From 2010 M. Ya. Amusia became Foreign Friend of APS. In 1991 V. K. Dolmatov, APS elected fellow from 2010, and in 1994 A. V. Korol' became Humboldt fellows, while A. V. Solov'yov became Humboldt fellow twice, the first time in 1991.

Members of the group participated in a number of collaborations and many times received research grants. Most important among them are: ISTC (International Science and Technology Center) - a broad international collaboration aimed to help transforming nuclear military research in the former USSR into a peaceful one, supported our project twice. It was in 1995 – 97, members of the team were Amusia and Chernysheva, “Atomic and radiation processes in plasmas, gases and solids” and in 2001 – 2003, local manager Amusia and Chernysheva as member of the team, “Atomic and radiation processes in plasmas, gases and solids”. RFBR (Russian Fund for Basic Research) gave us several grants for publication of books 05-02-30021-D (2005-2006), “The theory of many-electron effects in atomic processes” (M. Ya. Amusia, V. K. Ivanov, project leader, L. V. Chernysheva, and N. A. Cherepkov ”, 08-02-07027-D (2008-2010), “Photon absorption, electron scattering, vacancies decay” (M. Ya. Amusia, project leader, L. V. Chernysheva, and V. G. Yarzhemsky), 16-12-00041-D (2016-2017) “System ATOM-M. Algorithms and programs for investigation of atomic and molecular processes” (M. Ya. Amusia, project leader, L. V. Chernysheva, and C. K. Semenov). RFBR-MSTI (Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology)-а 11-02-92484 (2011-2012) “Strong effects in two-electron photoionization of endohedral atoms” (M. Ya. Amusia, project leader, and L. V. Chernysheva).

The total number of papers published on atomic physics by the above-mentioned scientists goes well above 800. Altogether they form an extremely high estimated by the physics community contribution to the field.

N.A. Cherepkov was Candidate (PhD) Dissertation Advisor of:
1988 - V.F. Orlov,
1989 - V.V. Kuznetsov,
1989 - A.Yu. Elizarov (now at Ioffe Institute).

V.K. Ivanov was Candidate (PhD) Dissertation Advisor of:
1987 - G.F. Gribakin (now Professor of Belfast University, UK),
1992 - B.V. Gul'tsev,
1994 - A.N. Ipatov (now at ),
1998 - G.Yu. Kashenok.

Head of the group, Principal scientist,
Professor of physics Miron Amusia