Bentsion Moiseevych Vul (22.05.1903, Bila Tserkva - 09.04.1985, Moscow) - the famous physicist, the corresponding member of Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1939), Herо of Socialist work (1969). Since 1932 he worked at Physical institute of Academy of Sciences of the USSR, since 1933 he directed the laboratory of physics of dielectrics organized by himself (nowadays - laboratory of physics of semiconductors). Since 1951 Bentsion Vul was the member of the Main edition of BSE. His main scientific works are devoted to physics of dielectrics and semiconductors.
He is the graduate of the Kyiv polytechnical institute of 1928.
Autobiography
September 20, 1938.
I was born in 1903 in Bila Cerkva in a family of a kolesnik. The father was a handicraftsman, worked in youth together with the grandfather the smith, then is independent. I had the small workshop in which worked itself, sometimes I employed the assistant. In recent years the father worked together with the younger brother — the smith. ([Father] died in 1938).
I studied at two-cool Jewish school in Bila Cerkva. After leaving school I came to the highest initial school from which it was transferred after revolution to the Belotserkovsky gymnasium in the 4th class. From the 6th class in 1920 I went the volunteer to Red Army. In the summer in 1920 I entered Komsomol, and then and party. In army I was the secretary of a party cell. It was demobilized at the beginning of 1921 as not reached 18-year age. Upon return to Bila Cerkva it was chosen as the secretary of the city organization of Komsomol and at this work I remained some months. In 1921 by the Kyiv Komsomol i was mobilized in the Kyiv polytechnical institute where i was enlisted on electrotechnical faculty.
At first in Kyiv I was mainly at Komsomol work. Then I was chosen prestudent committee and worked on restoration of the higher school. I combined work with study. In February, 1922 I was translated in full members of party. In the fall of 1923 I made a mistake. At the beginning of party discussion at the first meeting of the Shulyavsky area I voted for the offer of opposition, being misled by that the offer began with a greeting of the Central Committee. Quickly I corrected this error and in some days I followed a way of active fight for the party line. In 1924 I was the secretary of a komyacheyka of uchmekhzavod of the Kyiv polytechnical institute. In 1925 it was put forward for work in a district committee of All-Union Communist Party (bolsheviks) as the assistant manager as agitprop. In the fall of 1926 of bureau of a district committee at my request transferred me to work of the regular propagandist to give me the chance to graduate from the institute and to perform the thesis.
In January, 1928 I graduated from the Polytechnical institute, defended the degree project, and was left the graduate student on chair of electrical equipment. I finished postgraduate study at the end of 1929, having defended publicly the dissertation. At the beginning of 1930 it was recommended by the Kyiv district party committee in graduate students of Academy of Sciences of the USSR. At the end of 1938 I finished postgraduate study of Academy of Sciences and it was left in Academy the scientific expert.
In Academy, at Physical institute I organized laboratory of dielectrics which head I consist so far. Upon termination of the Kyiv polytechnical institute i was sent for 1 month together with group of students to Germany. Upon termination of postgraduate study in Academy the second time was sent to Germany where there were about 5 months. From 1932 to 1935 I was the scientific secretary of Physical institute. From 1935 to spring of 1936 I was the scientific secretary of Physical group and I performed different organizational work in Academy. [...] In 1935 I defended the doctoral dissertation, I executed over 20 scientific researches which part is published in the Russian, German and English languages in different magazines In February, 1938 to the 20 anniversary of RKKA under the decree of Presidium of the Supreme Council of CLCP i was awarded the order the Red Star.
B. Vul
AAN USSR, t. 411, on. 14, 27, l. 5-6. Original.
May, 1964.
[...] I defended the doctoral dissertation in 1935 and in 1939 i was elected the corresponding member of Academy of Sciences of the USSR. I was the scientific secretary, then the deputy director FIAN and about 10 years the deputy academician -
the secretary of OFMN also I performed other scientific and organizational work.
Now i am the chairman of Scientific council on a complex problem "Physics and chemistry of semiconductors".
B. Vul
AAN USSR, t. 411, on. 3, 462, l. 18-19. Autograph.
From the second half of the 40th years B. M. Vul began researches on physics of semiconductors. Works on transistors in our country began in three scientific centers — FTI, FIAN and MSU. Works in FIAN were headed by Vul; in his laboratory semiconductor diodes, transistors and solar batteries were received. For creation of the first semiconductor lasers B. M. Vul and group of his employees (and also group of employees of FTI) were awarded
Lenin award (1964). Till last days lives he headed Scientific council of Academy of Sciences of the USSR on a problem "Physics and chemistry of semiconductors", was the member of Bureau of Office of the general physics and astronomy of Academy of Sciences of the USSR.