psuphotonics

Research and Study at PSU: Top 10 University Achievements in 2022

16.02.2023 / , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On 8 February, Perm State University celebrated the Day of Russian Science, recognizing the contribution of its scholars on the national and international scale in 2022:

1. PSU chemists have discovered a new substance that will help in the fight against tuberculosis.

PSU scientists have been developing a new type of antibiotic based on erogorgiaen, isolated from the sea coral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae. Not only it will allow the cells enter a persistent state of the drug, acquiring to its tolerance, but also reduce the recurrence of the disease.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria, which generally affects the lungs. In 2020, an estimated 10 million people developed active TB, resulting in 1.5 million deaths, making it the second leading cause of death from an infectious disease after COVID-19.

2. The “Photonics” NTI Competence Center at PSU has developed a new method for preventing emergency shutdowns of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

Commonly known as a drone, UAV is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew or passengers on board, involving a ground-based controller and a communication systems. Originally developed for military missions, UAVs are widely used in scientific research, agriculture, logistics, policing and hi-tech sports.  

PSU scholars urged to eliminate the possibility of a UAV system failure due to a sudden change in temperature. The results of the research, detecting the problem failure and improving the fiber-optic elements in UAV gyroscopes have been published in the Applied Sciences Journal.

3. The “Photonics” NTI Competence Center at PSU will help improve the safety of nuclear power plants

PSU scholars from the “Photonics” NTI Competence Center are developing new types of optical fibers resistant to radiation and other aggressive environments applicable in mines, nuclear power plants, as well as spacecraft and Earth orbit satellites. New fibers will speed up data transfer and reduce system response time in case of emergency situations.

4. PSU Professor in law becomes co-developer of CIS agreement on Internet copyright

Professor Anton Matveev, Department of Civil Law, PSU, joined the international lawyers group working on the Agreement allowing CIS member states to protect copyright and related rights on the Internet, establish common approaches to solving problems alike, including updates of national legislation.

The Agreement on Cooperation between the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), regarding copyright and processing information, including telecommunication networks was signed at a meeting of the Council of CIS State Leaders in November, 2021.

5. PSU expert in Adventure Travels crossed Chukotka, ascended the highest peak of the peninsula.

Andrey Korolev, Associate Professor of the Department of Tourism, PSU joined the “Pole of Inaccessibility” team comprising University alumni, in their ski expedition to Chukotka. The adventure travelers crossed the peninsula from the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean, for the first time ever.

The route was dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the expedition of Baron Ferdinand von Wrangel (1796-1870), an explorer of the northeastern coast of the Arctic. For 25 walking days, the team traveled about 600km (373mi), covering the distance of 30km (16,5mi) daily, with an equipment of 50kg (110lb).

6. PSU Scholar discovered a rare species of mosquito in the Vishera Nature Reserve.

Andrey Krasheninnikov, Associate Professor of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Aquatic Ecology, PSU, discovered a unique species of mosquito in the territory of the Vishhersky Nature Reserve. The official name of the insect is Chaetocladius (Chaetocladius) crassisaetosus.

The Chironomidae family of mosquitoes (known as chironomids, nonbiting midges, or lake flies) comprise a family of nematoceran flies with a global distribution. The name Chironomidae stems from the Ancient Greek word kheironómos, “a pantomimist”, due to characteristic behavior of the mosquito.

7. The technology for groundwater purification is developed by PSU scholars.

The Laboratory of Geology of Technogenic Processes, Natural Science Institute, PSU, in partnership with the Laboratory for Non-Destructive Testing developed a technology and a new bio product for cleaning groundwaters polluted with oil-affected elements.

The new technology is meant for those cases when concentration of pollution does not allow the use of traditional mechanical means of collection, as an alternative to pumping, bioreactors use or chemical reactions. It significantly reduces costs and efforts, and does not harm the environment. The technology has been patented and is ready for practical use.

8. Perm State Art Gallery to receive digital copies of its collection, provided by PSU scholars.

The team of the Center for Digital Humanities at PSU have been creating digital copies of wooden sculpture, typical of local Christian Orthodox believers, preserved at Perm State Art Gallery. The project contributes to 300 Perm City Anniversary.

Digital humanities (DH) is an area of scholarly activity at the junction of digital technologies serving as a an advanced system storage and analysis of humanities’ data, as well as their application. The Center for Digital Humanities had been established at PSU in 2016.

9. PSU geneticists explained the failures and successes of combatants in sports.

Research team led by Svetlana Boronnikova, Head of the Department of Botany and Plant Genetics, Faculty of Biology, PSU, identified genotypes and their influence upon people involved in a-cyclic sports, like martial arts, explaining estimating their failures and successes, publishing the survey results in the Genes Journal.

The results by PSU geneticists might be useful at estimating young athletes’ physical capacity – right at the stage of planning their career in sports. The scientists will help predict the body’s ‘durability’ to specific loads, allowing parents and their children to choose among types of most suited sports.

10. PSU geologists keep studying vertebrates of the Permian period in the south of the Perm Territory.

Geologist Galina Ponomareva and geochemist Ivan Khopta, accompanied by scholars from the Paleontological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences and Lomonosov Moscow State University have been researching the age of the Kueda-Klyuchiki section, in the south of Perm Territory. The team did not come to a unified conclusion, yet managed to identify its unique features.

The Permian is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period 298.9 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. Permian marine deposits are rich in fossil mollusks, echinoderms, and brachiopods; terrestrial life included diverse plants, fungi, arthropods, and various types of tetrapods. Overall, Permian period served a vast variety of pre-historic species, including temnospondyli, lepospondyli and batrachosaurs.

Perm State University expresses words of sincere gratitude to its scholars, partners and research fellows for hard work, bold strive for experiment and exciting original projects – with wishes to continue further and achieve bigger impacts!

PSU Scholars Present at St. Petersburg International Gas Forum

16.09.2022 / , , , , ,

On 13-16 September, Perm State University (PSU) is participating 11th St. Petersburg International Gas Forum, presenting its research and practice activity in photonics and bioconversion, along with Perm Scientific and Educational Center “Rational Subsoil Use”.

Among the Forum participants are Professor Sergey Pyankov, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, and Anatoly Pankov, Research Engineer at the “Photonics” NTI Competence Center at PSU.

At the Forum, the “Photonics” NTI Competence Center at PSU has presented four types of specially coated optical fibers, resistant to high temperatures (up to +400’C) and electromagnetic radiation, which makes their effective operation in wells and mines. Also exhibited, were two kinds of optical signal modulators developed by PSU “Photonics” Center (https://ntiphotonics.ru/), and used as a signal source for transmitting information via optical fibers from mines and wells to control panels.

The developments of PSU scientists in biotechnology and bioconversion of oily waste are used to restore ecosystems after industrial accidents and in mining areas, across several Russian regions. In that field, PSU joins its efforts with the Laboratory of Alkanotrophic Microorganisms at the Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which stocks the world’s largest collection of bacteria capable of oxidizing natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbons.

“The gas industry may rely on Russian science in the tasks of developing technological independence, as  our scientists’ latest developments tend to prove. Here at the Forum, we are promoting photonics technologies that can be applied in advanced well monitoring equipment. Another direction is biotechnologies, which help in the rehabilitation of ecosystems in the mining area or industry-related accidents,”

said Pavel Ilyushin, Head of of Perm Scientific and Educational Center “Rational Subsoil Use”.

Rational Subsoil Use and Photonics at PSU

The Perm Scientific and Educational Center “Rational Subsoil Use” had been created within the national project “Science” by the President of the Russian Federation, aiming  to create an ecosystem ensuring  technological breakthroughs in subsoil use, attracting young and  talented scholars.

Photonics is a dynamically developing area in science and technology, adjoining optics and electronics. Photonics uses photons rather than electrons to transmit data compared to electronics, introducing revolutionary change into entire industry. The solutions offered by photonics allow to increase the speed of information transfer and processing, reduce power consumption and provide a higher margin of competitiveness over electronic counterparts.

The annual income from the sale of devices and systems using photonics exceeds any expectations. While in 2019 the photonics market was valued at $686.86 billion, it is now expecting to reach $1080.3 billion by 2025.

PSU Scholars ‘Heal’ Drones from ‘Blindness’

25.01.2022 / , , ,

The “Photonics” NTI Competence Center at Perm State University has developed a new method for preventing emergency shutdowns of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Commonly known as a drone, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which include additionally a ground-based controller and a system of communications with the UAV.

The flight of UAVs may operate under remote control by a human operator, as remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA), or with various degrees of autonomy, such as autopilot assistance, up to fully autonomous aircraft that have no provision for human intervention.

PSU scholars urged to eliminate the possibility of a system failure due to a sudden change in temperature, the results of the research being published in the Applied Sciences Journal. The development is based on the protection of elements of fiber-optic gyroscopes from the action of the pyroelectric effect.

“The pyroelectric effect is manifested by sudden changes in temperature in the navigation systems of drones. With such a phenomenon, a loss of the optical signal may occur, and all the equipment shuts down. We were able to improve the existing method in such a solution,”

says Roman Ponomarev, Senior Researcher, “Photonics” NTI Competence Center, Head of the Integrated Photonics Laboratory, PSU.

In some cases, it takes about 50 minutes to restore the work of “blind” drones. To determine the location of the signal loss, scientists conducted experiments on cooling and gradual heating of six types of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Along with the temperature change, the samples were checked on “leakage” of the optical signal.

“The solution to the problem of the pyroelectric effect in PICs was found a long time ago – like using the conductive paste. Yet, it is extremely important to take temperature conditions under which the pyroelectric effect can interfere with the operation of the optical circuit. This knowledge will be relevant when developing new solutions and evaluating their resistance to variable temperatures,”

comments Roman Ponomarev.

Not only does the new method allow to determine the existing places of optical losses, but also to predict dangerous operating modes of navigation systems. In addition to drones, the development will increase the security of quantum communication networks and quantum cryptography.

UAVs were originally developed through the twentieth century for military missions. As control technologies improved and costs fell, their use expanded to many other applications, such as aerial photography, product deliveries, agriculture, policing and surveillance, infrastructure inspections, science and drone racing.

Drone picture source.

Scientists Unite to Globally ‘Shape’ Weather

17.12.2021 / , ,

In less than 40 years, we will be able to control and analyze the weather – combining photonic technology and quantum computers, like preventing storms with a laser, say experts from the “Photonics” NTI Competence Center at Perm State University.

Making weather forecast more accurate and ‘local’? Possible, using optical sensors across the globe!  According to the Laboratory of Integral Photonics at PSU, incorporating the Bragg gratings into such sensors will increase their response to changes in temperature, humidity and ambient pressure. The use of fiber-optic communication lines will help transmit a tiny parameter change via optical signal to data processing centers – to have these data calculated and interpreted through quantum computers.

“By combining photonics and quantum computing technologies, we will be able to control various disasters or cyclones with greater precision. To implement that, we will have to create a new element-component base using photonic technologies, including photonic integrated circuits,” says Valery Kozhevnikov, expert at the Photonics NTI Competence Center, research engineer at the Integrated Photonics Laboratory, PSU. One of the Center’s projects concentrates upon making the platform to design and manufacture photonic integrated circuits, based on hybrid technology.

The principle task of constructing a climate and weather model is, among others, making calculations and building predictions out of incomplete or scattered initial data. The final forecast will be available for a download. As a result, we will enjoy a global network that monitors the weather at every single square mile or kilometer – just like buoys in the ocean or sea monitor water levels.

With ultra-short laser pulses passing through the atmosphere, it is also possible to stimulate precipitation in dry areas or wide distance fires. In 2021, the scientists from Switzerland have already used a laser lightning rod – the new method, which unlike the classical ones, does not cause  electromagnetic interference, hence the protection of electronics from possible interference.

The photonic integrated circuits will be extensively introduced in Russia by 2035.

Photonics is a dynamically developing area in science and technology, adjoining optics and electronics. Photonics uses photons rather than electrons to transmit data compared to electronics, introducing revolutionary change into entire industry. The solutions offered by photonics allow to increase the speed of information transfer and processing, reduce power consumption and provide a higher margin of competitiveness over electronic counterparts.

Today, photonics is a developing high-tech industry, which annual income from the sale of devices and systems exceeds any bold expectations. While in 2019 the photonics market was valued at $ 686.86 billion, it is now expecting to reach $ 1080.3 billion by 2025.

PSU Delegates Report on Work-Based Learning Strategy

07.04.2021 / , ,

The presentation of personnel training in photonics and its application in Russian universities has taken place at the Photonics-2021 exhibition (Moscow, Russia). Perm State University (PSU) PSU shared its experience of work-based learning (WBL) based on interests of industrial partners.

During the presentation, Natalya Dobrynina, Head of the International Academic Cooperation Department, PSU, spoke about the requirements for creating programs based on WBL methods, regarding those challenges its developers have to overcome.

“In our presentation, we intended to demonstrate the benefits of implementing a work-based learning approach taking into account the needs of the employer, university and student. We believe the experience of WBL components in education should be based on successful European practices. The latter have been presented by our partners from Austria, Latvia and Lithuania at the start of the international FlexWBL project. For us, it has been important to get feedback from our industrial partners and partner universities all over Russia,”

Natalya Dobrynina shared.

The Photonics-2021 exhibition took place in Moscow from 30 March to 2 April. The exhibition presented all the trends of modern market in lasers and optoelectronics. The international FlexWBL project is aimed at developing an innovative, practice-oriented training system, with an emphasis on the labor market and interaction with enterprises from different sectors of the economy.
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