Tolok, V. T. (Volodymyr Tarasovych)
Oral history interview with Volodymyr Tarasovych Tolok, 1995 August 16.
Tolok discusses the beginning of plasma and fusion research in Kharkov; the roles of I. V. Kurchatov and K. D. Sinel'nikov; annual conferences of the Plasma Division. Research topics mentioned include the discovery of an ion-cyclotron resonance, interaction of plasma blobs with each other and with a magnetic fields, the building of installations of Zeta type, turbulent heating, interaction of electron beams with plasma, plasma electronics, radio-frequency heating, and ion-ion hybrid resonance. Also describes the visit of Kurchatov to Kharkov in 1960 (seen as the real starting point of fusion research); his proposition to build the stellarator type machine of much larger size that the C model that was under construction at that time in Princeton; Tolok's work with Kurchatov; the state of the stellarator program in Kharkov after the death of Kurchatov; the decision to build the machine of the C model size named Uragan (instead of Ukraine); the alteration of the C model into the first USA tokamak; first results from Uragan; electromagnetic traps in Kharkov; the history of Lavrent'ev in Soviet fusion research. Describes the role of Sinel'nikov in the development of science in Kharkov, particularly in plasma physics; selection of scientists for Plasma Division; international cooperation; the organization of Plasma Physics Laboratory in Kharkov University; number of Doctors of Sciences in the Plasma Division; project "Karlik" (Dwarf) by E. S. Borovik; Oleg A. Lavrent'ev's Jupiter program; some details about death of Kurchatov and again about his role in science organization; the shift from stellarators to torsatrons in Kharkov; development of diagnostics of plasma and the role of A. A. Kalmykov; technical use of plasma; the need to solve different technological tasks in connection with construction of new large scale machines; titanium pumps; finding out the increasing the hardness of thin films containing the molybdenum or titanium and deposited in the atmosphere with impurities of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon; use of nonequilibrium plasma for the production of materials that do not exist in nature; the "Bulat" license (the only licence that was sold to the United States not only by the Institute but by the Ministry to which the Institute beloged); the history of inculcating of "Bulat" license in some large Kharkov plants with local cooperation, then cooperation throughout Ukraine; the possibility of creating multifunctional coatings: corrosion resistant, high temperature resistant, wear resistant diamond-like, decorative etc (there are several telephone calls on this cassette); the advantage of "Bulat" technology as compared to magnetron or galvanic technologies; the effect of stray magnetic fields and plasma radiations on the health of fusion devices staff members; the current status of the Laboratory headed by Tolok at Kharkov University and the prospects for plasma technologies.
Director of plasma and fusion research in the Plasma Division of the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (1966-1987).
Kurchatov, I. V. (Igor Vasil evich), 1903-1960
Lavrent'ev, Oleg Aleksandrovich, 1930-
Tolok, V. T. (Volodymyr Tarasovych)
Plasma (Ionized gases)
Physics.
Stellarators.
Plasma devices.
Trapped-particle instabilities.
Tokamaks.
Fusion.
Cold fusion.
Magnetic fields.
Magnetrons.
Temperature.
Electromagnetism.
Molybdenum.
Titanium.
Oxygen.
Nitrogen.
Carbon.
Oral histories. aat
Borovik, E. S.
Kalmykov, A. A.
Sinel'nikov, K. D.
Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology. Plasma Division.
Kharkov University.
Vo t s eni a , V. S. (Vladimir Sergeevich), interviewer.
AIP-ICOS
American Institute of Physics. Niels Bohr Library & Archives. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA