APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070028-8
main areas of concentration have been in magnetic, semiconductor, and metallurgical materials. Most of the research is aimed at implementation of Poland's electronic and computer industries, with some involvement being directed toward steel manufacturing and processing. The Technical University of Wroclaw and the Semiconductor Institute of PAN appear to have the major portion of support in this work. Their activities consist of research into properties of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic materials, magnetic influences, thermodynamics of spin models, spin wave theories, relaxation, temperature effects on domain structures, thin permalloy tapes, piezomagnetic ferrites, disordered systems, and magnetic anisotropy. Good research is being done in studying spin wave theories associated with antiferromagnetism at the University of Wroclaw where phase transitions from antiferromagnetism at various low temperatures are being studied. Similar work is being done at the Technical University of Warsaw in connection with static spin pair correlation functions. The institutes of PAN have the major programs dealing with semiconductor properties, and the various universities in Warsaw and the Nicholas Copernicus University of Torun deal with investigations related to bulk materials. At the Institute of Electronic Technology, studies are underway with semiconductor devices of the conventional types, purely for the purpose of gaining information on operational mechanisms.
Computer-oriented electronic materials are being studied at Nicholas Copernicus University in connection with the switching phenomenon of amorphous carbon. The solid-state physicists aid other specialists who are active in metallurgical fields. At the Technical University of Warsaw, such activity is commonplace in studies related to powder metallurgy with objectives of improving materials used for relay contacts, alumunium-zinc alloys, and work associated with crack growth, corrosion, and creep. A modest series of programs is being expanded at the Technical University of Wroclaw in relation to photoelectric and photoconductive effects and behavior of several semiconductors. At PAN the research is concerned with effects of quenching and electric fields on photoconductivity, whereas, at the Wroclaw research laboratory, optical constants are being reviewed for certain types of thin films. Some work in optical spectroscopy is underway also at the Marine Engineering College on optical and infrared parameters.
Poland ranks high in its past development of lasers and their application to industry and metrology. At the present time, this expertise is being applied to studies of plasma heating and magnetothermodynamics. An increased trend is shown for these studies at the institutes of PAN under the direction of one of Poland's foremost physicists, L. Kaliski. He is considered the leading authority on plasma heating and his latest works deal with the phenomenon of cumulation-laser heading of deuterium-tritium plasma to gain understandings on energy increase for attainment of critical temperatures. His group shows a good understanding of the subject concerning magnetic focusing and thermonuclear fusion processes. Another physicist, E. Infield, has a well established reputation throughout Europe in the magnetohydrodynamic work he is performing at the Institute of Nuclear Research, Warsaw. His work involves plasma confinement and successful establishment of equilibrium configurations, as well as other activities concerned with ball lightning.
Except for activities associated with nuclear engineering related to electrical power generation, research in the nuclear sciences has been declining. Most of the low-energy nuclear research has become applied in nature and is concerned with nuclear reactions and scattering and the mechanisms associated with them. The major portion of low-energy research takes place at the various nuclear research institutes located in Warsaw and Krakow, and in the Swierk/Otwock area. The activities at the institutes involve studies of the osmium isotope reactions with natural osmium at 14.8 MeV neutron energy, the development of dosimeters, and the process for the forming of lithium fluoride powders to study excited states of krypton and rubidium isotopes. At the Institute of Nuclear Research at Warsaw, nuclear specialists are studying the gamma ray spectra from the indium isotope action at various neutron energy levels by means of inelastic scattering. At the University of Warsaw, research is underway that deals with deuterium-tritium reactions with rare-earth nuclei from both a theoretical and experimental standpoint. Since the Poles collaborate with others at the large accelerator laboratories (Dubna and Serpukhov in the U.S.S.R. and CERN at Geneva) in experimental high-energy nuclear physics, they have become active and well respected in their relations with international teams. In Poland the subjects of special interest include hyper nuclear physics and strong reactions. Several Polish theoretical physicists are researching high-energy problems; among them is J. Werle, who is well known for his work on phenomenological theories of strong reactions. Centers at Krakow and Warsaw pursue research in high-energy and elementary particle physics which has evolved
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070028-8
