Biography

• Professional experience
• Achievements in science
• Research grants
• Membership
• Services for scientific community
• Honours and awards
• Education
• Miscellanea

Professional experience

Activities: As SPM-microscopist, participated in experimental STM/AFM investigations (ambient, low-energy plasma, HV, and UHV environments) of porous Si, GaAlAs heterostructures, ordered opal nanoparticles (photonic crystals), SiNbN superconductor microwave sensor, nanostructured EC-polished Al, ordered porous alumina, Pd clusters, carbon nanotubes, surface ordered structures (MePhSiCl₂, VOCl₃, TiCl₄) and other materials. Researched feature formation by indenting a probe in plastic films (Au, Al, Cu, polycarbonate, Langmuir-Blodgett) and by local probe oxidation of thin films (Ti, Zr, WC, MoC) to develop a record medium for a large capacity probe storage device. Made critical probe nanolithography to form a junction of a field-effect nanotransistor. Conducted investigations of thin carbon films plasma-deposited on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polyurethane (PU), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as substrates for applications to artificial human implants such as blood-vessels, crystalline lens, and mitral valves. Researched influence of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) on surface morphology and properties of poly(methyl methacrylate). Investigated nanostructuring of spin-coated poly(methyl methacrylate) film in oxygen RF-plasma. Studed pores formation in highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) treated in oxygen RF-plasma. Investigated formation of quantum dots of C, Ni, Si on Si(100) and Si(111) substrates in glow-discharge Ar-plasma.

As SPM-developer, solved task of automatic scanner calibration by natural standards such as crystalline lattices. Elaborated a simple readback method for a probe storage device, which memory bits were represented by single atoms/molecules. Suggested a feature-oriented scanning-positioning methodology intended for implementation of high precision measurements, automatic surface characterization and unmanned bottom-up nanofabrication. Developed an automatic drift correction method built on techniques of counter-scanning and topography feature recognition. Built up an AFM-based setup and conduct measurements of IR-sensors of bimetal microcantilevers.

Activities: Worked on a fast-acting STM, in particular, a fast-acting digital control system intended for tunnel junction stabilization. Developed a method correcting piezoscanner nonlinearity and hysteresis. Within bounds of the above tasks carried out: formulation of technical requirements; prototype analysis; working-out of instrument concept and basic architecture solutions; building of a math model; engineering calculations and estimates; synthesis of flow-charts and operation algorithms; design of principle digital schemes (logic, ADC, DAC, i/o interface, embedded microcontroller); writing and debugging of a program kernel for microscope low-level control; design of calibration and self-testing routines; assemblage and test of the experimental STM.

Activities: Developed a specialized equipment to balance video rotary heads of a tape recorder. Dealt with measurement automation, math data processing and sensor conjugation with a local controller.

Achievements in science

• Discovered nanoscale structuring and partial ordering in poly(methyl methacrylate), 2006
• Suggested a novel drift-insensitive distributed approach for calibration of a probe microscope scanner in nanometer scale, 2005
• Developed a new counter-scanning technique intended for automatic correction of scan distortions induced by probe drift relative to a sample surface, 2000
• Proposed, developed and experimentally proved an original feature-oriented scanning methodology applicable for both high precision surface measurements and unmanned bottom-up nanofabrication, 1999
• With a scanning tunneling microscope conducted a distance measurement between two surface atoms of the highest ever done before precision, 1999
• Suggested a new method notably improving resolution of a scanning probe microscope, 1999
• First conducted at room temperature a low-noise scanning tunneling spectroscopy localized precisely on a single surface atom, 1999
• First demonstrated on crystal surface a probe tracking by single atoms as data bits of a high-capacity probe storage, 1998
• Proposed an original approximating model for hysteresis that permits to effectively correct nonlinearity of a probe microscope piezoscanner, 1993
• Suggested a novel concept and design of a fast-acting scanning tunneling microscope which may serve as a platform for building a high-performance nanoassembler, 1993

Author and co-author of 16 peer-reviewed papers, 15 reports for domestic and international conferences, 5 patents, several encyclopedia entries and artworks

To see citations to my scholarly works, click on the icon below. The search results include publications in both English and Russian

Research grants

• Synthesis and investigation of mesoscopic-scaled carbon nanostructures to form surfaces with biocompatible properties, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, 2005-2007
• Application of algorithms and information methods for data readback in petabit capacity probe storage device, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, 2005
• Development of low-temperature synchrotron radiation stimulated processes forming surface structures applicable to medicine, the Moscow Committee on Science and Technologies, 2003-2004
• Investigation of physical-chemical peculiarities of radiation-stimulated modification of surfaces of crystalline and noncrystalline solids aimed to form specific properties of the solids, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, 2002-2004
• Nanotechnology development of polymer surface modification for medicine materials and manufactures, the Moscow Committee on Science and Technologies, 2001
• Investigation of synchrotron light source induced chemisorption processes on semiconductor surfaces during synthesizing multilayer microstructures, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, 1998-2000
• Regular patterning of nanometer-sized metal layer on solid body surface: simulation, formation mechanisms, application to nanoelectronics, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, 1996-1998
• Grant from the Fund of Physics of Solid Nanostructures, the Ministry of Science and Technologies, 1996

Membership

• A fellow of the Russian Society of Scanning Probe Microscopy and Nanotechnology since 1998

Services for scientific community

• A referee of Review of Scientific Instruments, the American Institute of Physics
• A referee of Measurement Science and Technology, the Institute of Physics
• A referee of Nanotechnology, the Institute of Physics
• A referee of IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, the IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Society
• An expert of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies
• A supervisor of M. S. and Ph. D. students
• A contributor to the Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, the American Scientific Publishers
• A contributor to the Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
• A participant of the SPM User Forum at Veeco

Honours and awards

• Selected for the scientific photo exhibition “Science, this is beautiful!”, section “World that is hidden from us”, the artwork “Stonework of ancient Inca”, Moscow, Russian Federation, 2009 (Diploma of participant)
• Cited in the international biographical reference book Leading Scientists of the World, the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England, 2007
• Cited in the international biographical reference book Leading Engineers of the World, the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England, 2007
• Inclusion in the international biographical directory Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, the Marquis Who's Who LLC, New Providence, USA, 2006, 2008 (click here to access the online edition)
• Named among the top 20 most popular authors of Nanotechnology journal for 2004, the Institute of Physics Publishing, Bristol, England, 2005 (see also my interview given to IOP in this connection)

Education

Miscellanea

Bicycling is my hobby, my favourite comedy is “The Blues Brothers”