History

The Faculty of Electronics was established in 2003 after the division of the Faculty of Physics. The Dean is Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor Ihor Polovynko (since 2003).

In 2015, the Academic Council of the Faculty initiated the renaming of the Faculty to the Faculty of Electronics and Computer Technologies. The name was changed in 2016. Since 2019 and until now, the dean has been a Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor Yurii Furgala.

Although the faculty has existed for only 20 years university scientists began active research and educational activities in the field of electronics, the creation of new devices, their active use for medical and environmental purposes, as well as electronic materials science in the 50s of the last century. The first research began in the field of physical electronics and radio electronics. At the Department of Theoretical Foundations of Electrical and Radio Engineering, under the direction of Prof. Maksymovych M.G., work began on the transmission and conversion of information using radio frequency electromagnetic vibrations and waves. The main emphasis was placed on radio engineering. The work done in this area is now widely used in most areas of modern science and technology. Thus, back in 1956, B.M. Paliukh, developing the research he had begun while completing his diploma work at the Leningrad Institute of Physics and Technology, defended his Ph.D. thesis on “Resonant recharging of mercury, krypton, and xenon ions and atoms”. In 1959, R.M. Kushnir defended his Ph.D. thesis on “Resonant recharging of positive ions and atoms of potassium and cesium”. The results obtained by these scientists were recognized by many scientists and were used in theoretical works devoted to the development of modern ideas about atomic-ion collisions. The experiment conducted by R.M. Kushnir was unique in its complexity at that time. With the transfer of Savchyn L.S. and Stasiuk Z.V. to the Department of General Physics, the range of scientific research in the field of physical electronics is expanded. The material base of scientific and educational laboratories is gradually improving. Among the main areas of research that have been carried out at the department since 1962 are: the study of ion-atomic collisions and energy dependences of the probabilities of elastic scattering and resonant recharge, as well as the mobilities of low-energy ions of mercury, noble gases, alkali metals, magnesium, cadmium, the study of adsorption and emission phenomena, the study of physical properties of thin films. To develop such research, the department, with the help of scientists from the Institute of Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Kyiv), mastered the methods of obtaining ultrahigh vacuum. In 1963, the training of students in the specialization “Physical Electronics” began.

With the arrival of L.I. Ivankiv to the department in 1967, the research of adsorption phenomena on the surface of semiconductor materials began. The influence of sorption processes on the electrophysical properties of semiconductor films was studied, and the influence of semiconductor parameters (band gap, material dispersion, gas pressure, temperature, and light irradiation on the sorption and catalytic activity of the material was investigated. Theoretical models were developed to explain the experimental results. To study the kinetics of adsorption processes, it was proposed to use the phenomena of sonoluminescence, photon-electron emission, and exoelectron emission. A group of employees of the Laboratory of Thin Film Physics under the direction of Z. Stasiuk studied the structure and electrical properties of thin films under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The size kinetic phenomena (classical size effect) and the effect of adsorption of various atoms and molecules on the yield and kinetic coefficients of films of many transition metals were studied. To explain the results of the experiment, both the model concepts known from the literature and new theoretical models proposed by the staff of the department were used. The problem of controlling the electronic properties of films by controlled application of adsorption coatings was studied.

Since 1970, when Y.M. Stakhira joined the department, research on the physical properties of layered crystals began. The main direction of research was to determine the influence of the crystal structure on its physical properties. The department mastered the method of growing crystals. Both materials with different degrees of layering but the same components (e.g. In4Se3, InSe) and crystals with minor deviations in the crystal structure but with different compositions (InSe, GaSe) were studied. The peculiarities of the transfer phenomena in crystals (temperature dependence of the mobility of current carriers, piezoresistance, etc.) and the interaction of radiation with crystals (photoconductivity, optical absorption, radiation conductivity, etc.) were revealed. Based on the proposed theoretical models, it was possible to find out the peculiarities of the band structure caused by the layered structure of crystals and to clarify some features of the phonon spectrum.

The results of scientific research are being implemented in production. Cooperation with the SCTB of the Lviv Kinetoscope Plant (currently the Research Institute of Electron Beam Devices “Erotron”) is becoming the broadest in terms of topics and scope of work. In particular, the department has performed a significant number of applied research works and works devoted to the development of methods for using experimental methods of physical electronics in other fields. Among them are the development of a unique methodology for mass spectrometric studies of the composition of liquid and gas inclusions in quartz from pegmatites, a measuring mass spectrometric system based on the omegatron RMO-4S sensor, which allows for quantitative analysis of gas composition in vacuum devices with a working range of analyzed mass numbers 2 – 84, the first mass spectrometric studies of temperature and radiation destruction of materials, in particular, alkaline-halide crystals during radiolysis. The results of mass spectrometric studies of gas emission and thermal decomposition of polydiphenylsiloxanes were later used at the Kyiv Research Institute of Electromechanical Devices to create the first cathode ray tube with thermoplastic data recording in the USSR.

In 1975, for a set of research works on surface physics (search for materials with low yield work for use in spacecraft engines and coatings that provided transparency of aircraft windows during their long-term operation in the mode of space radiation exposure, Dr. Paliukh B.M. was awarded a commemorative medal and a certificate of merit by the flight control center of the joint Soviet-American Soyuz-Apollo spacecraft as a participant in the preparation and provision of flight control.

Since the late 80s, on the initiative of Prof. Lyskovych O.B., the department began preparations for the formation of a new specialization, Physics of Biomedical Systems, to apply physical methods and concepts to diagnose and treat human diseases, improving medical instruments, applying engineering principles to biology and medicine, and assessing risk control during exposure to various radiation on the human body. In 1993, this specialization was opened in the department. Later, based on existing specializations, the specialty “Physical and Biomedical Electronics” was opened in the direction of “Electronics”. In 1998, the Department of Nonlinear Optics, together with the Department of Experimental Physics, began training optical students in the new specialization “Optical and Physical Methods and Techniques in Biology and Medicine”.

Scientists of the faculty also had significant achievements in the field of radio electronics. Thus, at the Department of Theoretical Foundations of Electrical and Radio Engineering (now the Department of Radiophysics) in the 60s, under the leadership of L.A. Synitsky, the department began to conduct research work on computer-aided design of electronic circuits. At this time, Yurii Mochulskyi began to master the modeling of processes in physical systems on analog computers. As a result, some laboratory work on the modeling of automatic control systems was carried out. in parallel, work is underway on the qualitative theory of electrical circuits and the development of programs for modeling these circuits on electronic computers. in the early 70s, after graduate school, Lenovenko A.M. began to develop precision thermometers based on nuclear quadrupole resonance. At the turn of the 60s and 70s, under the leadership of V. L. Vladimirov, work was carried out on the study of ferroresonant circuits and the development of low-pass filters based on them.

In the ’90s, the department began work on physical and biomedical electronics and modeling of processes in biological objects. Under the leadership of P.G. Stakhiv, several samples of a microprocessor-based tonometer were developed and manufactured on domestic microchips. Unfortunately, these developments could not be implemented in production. Under the leadership of Blahitko B.Y., a computer-connected device for measuring pulse parameters and diagnosing the cardiovascular system based on these parameters is being developed.

The development of research work at the Department of Experimental Physics in 1967 on optoelectronics led in 1979 to the discovery of the phenomenon of electrogyration in crystals, the authors of which were I.S. Zholudiev and O.G. Vloh.

In the 80s of the last century, employees of the Magnon Design Bureau began work on the development of optoelectronic and radioelectronic devices. Thus, in December 1983, a portable device PPK-1 was created to determine carboxyl hemoglobin in the blood. Later, the automatic portable analyzer PPK-2 was developed for rapid diagnosis of carbon monoxide intoxication in marine and hospital conditions. It was adopted for the Navy. In 1988, work began on the development of an automated system for monitoring liquid process media in the production of electronic equipment. Design documentation was developed for the SKO-1 device for determining the concentration of suspended particles in water and the PSM-1 device for operational control of contamination in high-purity deionized water supply lines with a particle registration threshold of 0.2 microns, and a model of the PLG-01 device designed to determine the content of hemoglobin and its five ligand forms in whole blood.

In the 1990s, the Institute of Applied Physics began to develop high-precision and highly stable radioelectronic measuring instruments, control, and stabilization systems using physical phenomena at the molecular level. These developments were based on the processes of measuring temperature and pressure and using these parameters to regulate and stabilize the operation of high-precision electronic systems. These physical parameters are basic for ensuring the operation of the onboard systems of all aircraft as well as ground-based navigation equipment (optical systems of laser and thermal imaging equipment, correction of parameters of ground- and space-based antennas, etc.) By order of Yuzhnoye SDO, onboard inertial platform stabilization systems (gyroscope) with a service life of more than 16 years were developed and implemented for strategic space rocket systems and aircraft. A temperature control system for heavy spacecraft of the Ocean type launched by the Zenit launch vehicle was developed and implemented. High-precision nuclear-quadrupole absolute temperature meters for throttling liquid oxygen and hydrogen for rocket engines and aircraft hydrogen jet engines were developed.

At this time, when the global problems of humanity are becoming more acute, directly affecting all countries and peoples, scientists cannot stand aside. These are, first of all, problems of the environment, fighting diseases, providing humanity with food, energy, etc. Thus, immediately after the Chornobyl disaster, research in the field of radioecology began at the Department of Nonlinear Optics. Already in May 1986, the first studies of the radioecological state of the environment, in particular the territory of the Shatsk National Reserve, were carried out. Samples of vegetation, primarily pine needles, taken for analysis from the park territory showed significant contamination with radionuclides of Chornobyl origin. In 1986-1989, the samples were analyzed in cooperation with scientists from Uzhhorod and Moscow universities. More thorough radioecological studies have been conducted since 1990 when gamma spectrometric equipment was purchased and a gamma spectrometry laboratory was established.

However, scientists of the Faculty of Electronics have achieved the greatest success in materials for electronics. Thus, in the early 60s, under the leadership of M.V. Pashkovsky, the study of the physical properties of oxide systems began. There was a need to grow such single crystals and study the effect of doping and defects on optical-luminescent properties. Since 1964, the Department of Semiconductor Physics has been growing and studying zinc and cadmium tungstates, garnets alloyed with chromium, and rare earth metals. Since 1966, under the direction of V. Savytskyi, the processes of gas-phase crystallization of mercury chalcogenides, and electrophysical and photoelectric properties of polycrystalline and epitaxial layers based on them have been studied. Research on narrow-band semiconductor compounds of the A2B6 type, especially solid solutions of various compositions, film systems based on them, and variant structures, is being developed. For a series of works on this topic and the development of new materials for electronic engineering, Professors Pashkovsky M.V. and Savitsky V.G. as part of the author’s team were awarded the State Prize in Science and Technology in 1984.

Now the faculty unites the departments of Optoelectronics and Information Technologies, Radioelectronic and Computer Systems, Radiophysics and Computer Technologies, Sensor and Semiconductor Electronics, System Design, and Physical and Biomedical Electronics.

The faculty trains specialists in the following educational programs: Software Engineering, High Performance Computing, Computer Science, Information Systems and Technologies, Electronics and Computer Systems, Sensor and Diagnostic Systems.

The faculty has the following main teaching and research laboratories: Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Optoelectronics and Applied Optics, Information Systems Design, Radiophysics and Computer Technologies, Sensor Electronics, Electronic Systems, Interdepartmental Computing Laboratory, Interfaculty Laboratory of Dosimetry and Radioecological Monitoring, Research Laboratory NDL-19 of Optoelectronic Devices, Research Laboratory NDL-20 of Sensors.

The educational process is provided by almost 120 teachers, including 18 professors and 33 associate professors. Among them are four honored professors of the University. Leading experts from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and other scientific and industrial institutions are directly involved in the educational process. Faculty students receive fundamental training in general and theoretical physics, higher mathematics, computer science and programming, radio electronics, foreign languages, economics, and humanities.

The course and diploma works of the students of the faculty cover various areas of modern electronics of fundamental and applied importance. Student scientific conferences and research competitions are held annually. The best students are awarded personalized scholarships. The faculty has postgraduate and doctoral programs. The Faculty of Electronics and Computer Technologies students are often the best in sports competitions, competitions of the cheerful and clever, and the organization of recreation evenings.

Scientists and teachers of the faculty maintain close ties with many universities and research institutes both in our country and abroad. These are the universities of Vienna, Wroclaw, Lyon, Gdansk, and other well-known universities. Our scientists are often invited to various international conferences. Some of them, dedicated to the problems of modern electronics, are held in Lviv. Thus, students, postgraduates, and young scientists have the opportunity to communicate with prominent scientists in the field of electronics and computer science, to do internships, or study at prestigious educational institutions in Europe.

A thorough training in fundamental, humanitarian, and economic disciplines combined with knowledge of foreign languages gives graduates significant advantages in employment. Extensive international cooperation enables the faculty to continue their studies and work abroad.