Successful German-Russian Research

November 21, 2010

Dr. Yuri Divin from IFF-8 "Microstructure Research" is a member of one of six new German-Russian Young Investigators Groups funded by the Helmholtz-Russia Joint Research Groups (HRJRG) programme. The Helmholtz Association, of which Forschungszentrum Jülich is also a member, is operating the programme in collaboration with the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR). The aim is to intensify cooperation between Russian scientists and the Helmholtz Centres. Divin's partner in the project on Liquid Identification by Hilbert Spectroscopy for Security Screening is Dr. Matvey Valerèvich Lyatti from the Kotel'nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.

A total of 23 project proposals were submitted. International reviewers were engaged to select the six best projects. Funding of up to € 150 000 is available per year and group for a maximum funding period of three years.

The programme objective is to provide, in particular, young scientists in Russia with the opportunity to undertake research projects, experiments and expeditions in close cooperation with partners at the Helmholtz Centres.

Divin and Lyatti's group is working on the application of Hilbert spectroscopy for security purposes. At Jülich in 2009, the scientists presented the prototype of a detector based on this technology capable of reliably distinguishing between safe and hazardous liquids within 200 milliseconds. The aim of the new interdisciplinary project is to develop a compact demonstrator and, in cooperation with Dr. Wiebke Sager from IFF-7 "Soft Matter", to set up a database of liquids that are relevant in practice, including not only pure liquids but also mixtures and emulsions as are used for cosmetics. Furthermore, in collaboration with partners from the security industry, it is intended to include for the first time liquids which could potentially be used in terrorist attacks.