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About the Institute

The Institute of High Pressure Physics Polish Academy of Sciences (IHPP PAS) was established in 1972. It emerged from the Institute of Physics as an independent Laboratory of High Pressure Semiconductor Physics, headed by Prof. Sylwester Porowski. Currently, semiconductors are still the dominant field of research in the Institute, especially the III-V nitrides.

The world’s first GaN crystals were obtained under high pressure at our Institute. This was the motivation for the creation of GaN Physics and Technology Center (Strategic Infrastructure GaN-Unipress), including the following research areas: the growth of bulk GaN crystals for native GaN substrates, epitaxial quantum structures (MOVPE and MBE) as well as optoelectronic and electronic devices. Studies of the properties of III-N materials have been accompanied by technological activity.

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In parallel, the Institute has been developing other technologies such as nanotechnologies based on solvothermal synthesis of inorganic nanocrystals and extreme plastic deformations of metals. High-pressure research in the field of soft matter physics is also carried out. Its results are used in food processing and glass technologies (Strategic Infrastructure X-PressMatter).

A new area of research is physics and technology related to terahertz radiation. These studies are carried out at the International Research Agenda (MAB)-Centera.

More than 140 researchers and PhD students do their fascinating research at IHPP PAS, using high pressure as an important physical variable. The Institute constructs unique scientific equipment that helps the Institute’s employees and scientists in many Laboratories around the world to obtain original and recognized research results. The Institute is interested in commercializing its scientific achievements (6 active spin-offs have been created).

Current areas of scientific activity:

  • III-V nitrides (GaN, InGaN, AlGaN) - MOVPE and PAMBE epitaxy, quantum structures,: light-emitting diodes, laser diodes, transistors, physics of light emission phenomena
  • Growth of GaN bulk crystals – methods: amonothermal (under high pressure) and HVPE, thermodynamics, phase diagrams
  • Nano- and micropowders for medical applications - solvothermal synthesis and ultrasonic technology for bioactive scaffolds for bone regeneration (nano-hydroxyapatite)
  • Terahertz radiation - basic and application research: topological insulators, low-dimensional structures, innovative devices and technologies
  • High TC superconductors – high pressure synthesis and technologies
  • High pressure plastic deformations - hydroextrusion at low and high temperatures, micro and nanostructure control of metals and plastics
  • Soft matter physics - glass physics, food processing

International recognition for the scientific achievements of the IHPP PAS is expressed through high citations of Unipress publications. The number of citations and the so-called Hirsch index of many of our scientists are among the highest in Poland. It is worth mentioning that 9 employees of IWC PAN were among the TOP2% of researchers in the Stanford University ranking.

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