V.D.Pis'menny is a world-known scientist in the field of plasma and laser physics, the author of over 150 scientific publications and inventions.
V.D.Pis'menny was born in 1932. After graduation from the Departmen of Physics of M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University he received post-graduate education and, later, worked at the Research Institute of Nuclear Physics at Moscow State University. There he founded the Plasma Physics Laboratory - the largest university laboratory in the USSR engaged in plasma physics. Its research staff has carried out experimental and theoretical studies, which are of significance to science and engineering today.
Since 1975 V.D.Pis'menny has been working at the Branch of the I.V.Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, which, in 1991, was renamed the Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research. From 1978 to 2003 V.D.Pis'menny was Director of this Institute and since December 2003 to May 2005 - its scientific leader.
The main lines of V.D.Pis'menny's research activities are the investigations into plasma dynamics and the development of excitation techniques for high-power gas lasers using ionizing radiation. He was the first to bring out such physical phenomena and processes as the origin and development of "overheating" instability; he managed to reveal an essential role of line radiation of contaminants in the energy balance of thermonuclear plasma and to experimentally prove the possibility of attaining laser generation at excitation of gas media by energy from nuclear reactions.
V.D.Pis'menny developed the physical principles of designing powerful electron-ionizing СО2-lasers based on the effect of a sharp rise in the generation power of the laser when its working medium excited by a non-self-maintained discharge controlled with ionizing radiation. His investigations were dealt with the physics of pulse-periodic gas lasers operating at atmospheric pressure of their working mixture. V.D.Pis'menny is known for his notable contribution to the development of a great experimental base of the Institute that involves a number of quite unique physical facilities.
The laser facilities with various active media (СО2-lasers, CO-lasers, excimer and solid-state lasers) created under his guidance and at his active participation are distinguished by both a variety of their operation modes (continuous, pulsed and pulse-periodic) and parameters. The investigations are being conducted into the application of these lasers in different areas, e.g. controlled thermonuclear fusion, plasma diagnostics, material processing, laser chemistry and laser isotopes separation, environment protection, etc.
There is considerable interest in the recently developed mobile technological laser facilities. They are capable of a remote action on various objects with a ~ 50 kW laser beam, in particular, to cut metal or ferroconcrete constructions in cases of disassembly and emergency repairs at gas and oil wells and nuclear power plants.
Such facilities are also effective when applied with the goal of burning spilled oil films, deactivating surfaces by peeling etc.
For his advances in the research activity V.D.Pismenny is awarded the USSR State Prize (1978), the Lenin Prize (1984) and the RF Government Prize (2002).
In 1984 he was elected Correponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
His life experience enables him to demonstrate a state approach to the solution of scientific and national economy problems. Having been a post-graduate of the MSU Physical Department, he was among the initiators of the student builders movement and, for several years, Commander of the All-Union movement.
In 1986 V.D.Pis'menny took an active part in the works associated with the liquidation of the consequences of Chernobyl accident.
Being an Honorary Citizen and Chairman of the Scientific Center Council of the town of Troitsk, Moscow Region he is paying great attention to the solution of problems arising in its development.
For his achievements in the research and public activities V.D.Pis'menny was awarded the Order of "Honor Sign", the Order of Courage and four medals.