The Department is a unique research division in Ukraine engaged in experimental investigations of the properties of liquid and solid helium at low and ultralow temperatures. It was founded in 1964 by Prof. Boris Naumovich Eselson (1917-1980), an Honored Science Worker of Ukraine, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. The Department continues the scientific traditions of the cryogenic laboratory established at the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT), earlier referred to as Ukrainian Institute of Physics and Technology, by L.V.Shubnikov in the pre-WWII years, where investigations on liquid helium were pioneered in the FSU.
Since its foundation, the Department has been developing not only traditional but also new scientific trends in physics of helium. The focus of attention has now shifted towards ultralow temperatures and the main objects of investigation are liquid and solid helium isotopes 3He and 4He and their mixtures, charged particles in liquid and solid helium, low-dimensional electron systems over liquid helium. The experimental basis has been expanded and updated continuously, which has enabled investigations in milli- and submilli-kelvin ranges.
Since 1994 Prof. E.Ya. Rudavskii, a Corresponding Member of NAS of Ukraine, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics has been the head of the Department.
The Department staff includes 4 Doctors of Physics and Mathematics (V.A. Maidanov, S.S. Sokolov, V.K. Chagovets, N.P. Mikhin) and 6 PhDs in Physics and Mathematics (A.A. Zadorozhko, Ye.O. Vekhov, A.S. Rybalko, V.E. Sivokon, G.A. Sheshin, V.A. Nikolaenko).
Nine postgraduates and engineers work at the department. Over a long period of time Prof. V.A.Mikheev, Prof. Yu.Z.Kovdrya, Prof. V.N.Grigorev, Prof. V.A.Buntar, PhDs in Physics and Mathematics - A.A.Golub, L.S.Dikina, N.E.Dyumin, V.G.Ivantsov, O.I.Kirichek, G.A.Mikhailov, N.F.Omelaenko, L.A.Pogorelov, I.A.Serbin, V.I.Sobolev, V.A.Shvarts, A.N.Ganshin, V.V.Dotsenko, I.B.Berkutov, A.V.Polev, A.A.Penzev, S.P.Gladchenko, Ye.V.Syrnikov, and T.V.Kalko worked at the Department.
