Foreword

The Reports on Research are grouped in ten chapters corresponding to the ten scientific departments of the Institute. Chapters eleven and twelve give reports of activities of the Training Department and of the production unit ZdAJ, correspondingly. Each of these chapters begins with a short overview written by the head of the department; these are followed by short accounts of the work in progress and lists of publications and other output of each of the departments. The activities of the Institute concentrate on the nuclear physics (low, medium and high energy), the particle physics, the cosmic radiation and the hot plasma physics on one hand and on such domains of the applied research and instrumentation as the accelerator development, the materials science (notably the surface properties), the development of detectors and of specialised, short-series electronics. Therapeutical accelerators and diagnostic devices feature highly on the Institute technical output list. There is a clear shift of interest of nuclear physics experts towards higher energy accelerator experiments. There is still, however, a worthy output concerning the more traditional low energy nuclear physics. An example to mention is the work on the 6He nucleus with the suggested two- neutron halo structure. The high energy nuclear and particle physics groups are increasingly involved in preparations for the ''next century physics'', be it at CERN or elsewhere. The two modest and aged nuclear accelerators: the 2MV van de Graaff and the 30 MeV proton cyclotron, serve successfully the solid state related research. Examples: the work on defects in GaAs crystals, one of the most studied material in the recent years because of its technological potential or the radiation-induced modification of optical properties of various materials. The plasma physics group continues the work on the polarisation of X-rays emitted during the PF-type discharges. They gained a new insight to the effect by observing it for discrete X-ray lines. A noteworthy also is their methodical work on the track detectors and their use in plasma research. The Institute nuclear electronics group, developed years ago to partly offset the shortages of ready-made electronics on the Polish market and partly to assist the physics oriented groups. The work on the front-end electronics for the Euroball system or on the acquisition system for the NA 48 experiment at CERN are examples of these activities. The Institute over many years has been engaged in development, construction and implementation of linear electron accelerators for cancer therapy. Last year the activity have been honoured by the award ''Teraz Polska'', the prestigious prize for the best industrial product made in Poland and based on Polish technology, for the therapeutical range SACON. The Report consists also descriptions of works on the high energy atomic physics, on the implantation techniques to technic modify the surface properties of materials and many other ''goodies''. The Institute has co-organized the ''International Workshop on Plasma - Focus Research PF'98'' in Kudowa in July 1998. A permanent exhibition ''Nuclear wastes: problems, solutions'' prepared by the Department of Training and Consulting has been opened in the fall of 1998