On this day, 43 years ago, a scientific research institute called the Institute of Solid State Physics (ISSP UL) was officially established at the State University of Latvia. Leading researcher from Laboratory of Materials for Energy Harvesting and Storage of ISSP UL Dr.phys. Jānis Kleperis recalls that on February 24, 1978, the weather was not pleasant - it was blizzard outside. On that day, the plaque with the newly established institute’s name was attached to the building.
In the 1970s, the department of semiconductor materials under the leadership of Andrejs Lūsis expanded rapidly. Successful demonstrations of electrochromic indicators, filters and photo models in Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and Sverdlovsk in the USSR’s military-industrial complexes created preconditions for receiving letters of support. In order to establish the institute in 1978, those letters were essential to be submitted to the USSR Scientific and Technical Committee, USSR Ministry of Higher and Special Education and various agencies of Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (including Central Committee of Latvian Communist Party). And so, by merging Laboratory of Semiconductor Physics Problems and Laboratory of Ferro- and Piezoelectric Physics Problems, the formation of the ISSP UL could be complete.
The structure of the new institute remained approximately the same as before - Laboratory of Semiconductor Physics, Laboratory of Ferro- and Piezoelectric Physics Problems, Department of Semiconductor Physics, but the names of the departments changed: divisions were renamed departments, scientific groups became laboratories, technical groups - units, and the smallest sub-units were groups. The heads of the subdivisions were required to possess ability to lead, professional training, right attitude towards teaching work, certain social and political characteristics, moral attitude and human qualities. Heads of departments and laboratories were required at least the degree of Candidate of Sciences.
With the creation of the new institute, the idea of its own symbols arose. One of them has become widely used and is an essential part of the institute's identity, the other - not. At the beginning of 1978, a competition was announced for the best logo idea, in which the response was great and the work submitted by Māris Knite won. Based on this symbol the ISSP UL logo was developed and the institute still uses it today. Also in 1978, the anthem of the institute was written. Author of the lyrics - Dr.Phys. Jānis Kleperis, whereas music composed by Dainis Cēsnieks. As a result of various circumstances, the anthem is not used at present.
The article is based on a book “From the Institute of Physics of the University of Latvia (1919) to the Institute of Solid State Physics (1978)” written by the long-term researcher at the Radiation Physics Laboratory and ISSP UL’s historian Dr. honoris causa Jānis Jansons.
