Pyotr Ignatiev painted the Physicists in 1976. He worked with oil on canvas. The artist chose a large-size canvas for the picture to highlight the significant achievements of Soviet scientists. The artist depicted the men in the interior, engrossed in a scientific discussion. The figures of physicists are thrown into sharp relief by intense red colour. It creates a strong contrast with the dark-brown colour scheme of the painting.
The artist created a group portrait of real scientists. Seven physicists made an important discovery in the late 1960s. At that time, major world-known companies - Bell Telephone, IBM and RCA – were fiercely competing for the right to become first developers of an industrial semiconductor technology based on heterostructures. At that time, few people knew about a small laboratory at the Leningrad Physico-Technical Institute. But it was that group of scientists that invented the heterojunction laser under the guidance of Zhores Alferov. That invention has changed the world. Thanks to this technology, we have laser disks, LEDs and all types of semiconductor instruments. Numerous devices, including mobile phones, have been made possible thanks to the work of these researchers.
From left to right, the artist portrayed all of the members of the research team. He managed to convey both the personal appearance and character traits of each scientist.
Vladimir Korolkov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. He devoted his life to the study of heterojunction physics and the development of electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Dmitry Garbuzov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. Since 1994 he has been working in the USA, at Princeton University, Sarnov Corporation and a number of other companies. His discoveries formed the basis for the entire high-power laser industry.
Vyacheslav Andreyev, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor. His research interests include semiconductor optoelectronics and renewable solar energy. Nowadays, he works at the Physico-Technical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Dmitry Tretyakov, a Lenin Prize winner. He also made a significant contribution to the creation of semiconductor heterostructures. His contemporaries referred to him as a man “who had the head of a talented scientist and a bohemian soul in its unique Russian version”.
The artist created a group portrait of real scientists. Seven physicists made an important discovery in the late 1960s. At that time, major world-known companies - Bell Telephone, IBM and RCA – were fiercely competing for the right to become first developers of an industrial semiconductor technology based on heterostructures. At that time, few people knew about a small laboratory at the Leningrad Physico-Technical Institute. But it was that group of scientists that invented the heterojunction laser under the guidance of Zhores Alferov. That invention has changed the world. Thanks to this technology, we have laser disks, LEDs and all types of semiconductor instruments. Numerous devices, including mobile phones, have been made possible thanks to the work of these researchers.
From left to right, the artist portrayed all of the members of the research team. He managed to convey both the personal appearance and character traits of each scientist.
Samuel Konnikov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. His scientific work relates to nanotechnologies and nanostructures. He is still developing practical diagnostic methods for modern technologies.
Efim Portnoy, Candidate of Physics and Mathematics. He owns several patents, including one for the method of laser image formation in an optically transparent solid medium.
Vladimir Korolkov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. He devoted his life to the study of heterojunction physics and the development of electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Dmitry Garbuzov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. Since 1994 he has been working in the USA, at Princeton University, Sarnov Corporation and a number of other companies. His discoveries formed the basis for the entire high-power laser industry.
Zhores Alferov is a Nobel Prize winner in physics, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He was the mastermind of the research team. His colleagues mentioned his inflexible temperament and love for arguments. The artist managed to convey the scientist’s determined character. Zhores Alferov received his Nobel Prize in 2000.
Vyacheslav Andreyev, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor. His research interests include semiconductor optoelectronics and renewable solar energy. Nowadays, he works at the Physico-Technical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Dmitry Tretyakov, a Lenin Prize winner. He also made a significant contribution to the creation of semiconductor heterostructures. His contemporaries referred to him as a man “who had the head of a talented scientist and a bohemian soul in its unique Russian version”.
The painting Physics was donated to the National Museum of the Chechen Republic in 2017 by the Charity Foundation of Elena and Gennady Timchenko.
