On October 18, 2024, more than 100 students from Sofia-based schools and universities visited the Institute of Solid State Physics during its Open Day.
Attracted by the theme “The Magic of Physics – From the Laboratory to Innovation and How Science Drives Technology”, the visitors included students and teachers from schools such as the Technological School of Electronic Systems (affiliated with the Technical University of Sofia), 128th Secondary School “Albert Einstein,” 36th Secondary School “Maxim Gorky,” and the private science-focused school Izzi Science for Kids. University students from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” the Technical University of Sofia, and the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy also took part.
Guests had the opportunity to experience scientific innovation firsthand through organized demonstrations and lab tours. They visited the Institute’s Nanotechnology Center with its Clean Room, where high-tech processes take place under strict control of purity, temperature, and humidity to produce nanomaterials with applications in the semiconductor industry. They explored a thin-film deposition system for optical coatings used in laser mirrors and reflective filters.
Visitors also met with scientists who, using a wide range of lasers, analyze the elemental composition of artifacts, conduct research for medical and biological applications, and perform micromachining. Other labs demonstrated high-speed molecular and atomic-level processes, the piezoelectric effect in crystals applied to innovative sensor technologies, and anti-icing surfaces developed for use in the energy and transport sectors.
Students engaged in interactive demonstrations exploring the effect of magnetic fields on superconductors and witnessed phenomena such as levitation, as well as fundamental laws of light and its behavior under various interactions.
The historical part of the program included a visit to the office of Acad. Georgi Nadjakov, who in 1936 discovered the photoelectret state of matter – the basis for modern photocopying technology. Guests also explored the exhibition hall featuring prototypes of the world’s most powerful copper bromide vapor laser, invented 50 years ago by a team led by Acad. Nikola Sabotinov, which continues to be produced in Bulgaria and abroad.
The interactive portion of the day was enriched by the team from the “University for Children” organization, who amazed the audience with experiments like Jacob’s Ladder, the Tesla Coil, and the Potato Cannon.
Events like this not only give young people a close-up view of real scientific achievements, but also help them understand how their own contributions could shape the future of technology and innovation.
