Department of non-ferrous metallurgy and semiconductor

The Non-ferrous Metallurgy and SemiconductorTechnology Chair (NFMST) was created in 2000 by merging of the two so far independent departments – the Department on Metallurgy of Non-ferrous and Rare Metals and the Department on Chemical Technologies and Materials for Microelectronics and Electronic Components (CTMMEC).
After the merging its Heads are: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Gruev, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivanya Markova-Deneva and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Vladislava Phzebinda Stefanova.

The department has two Groups: Nonferrous Metallurgy and Alloys (NFMA) for the speciality of Metallurgy, and Semiconductor Technologies (ScT) for the speciality Materials Science.

Non-ferrous Metallurgy and Alloys Division

The Non-ferrous Metallurgy and Alloys Department was established in 1960 with the title Metallurgy of Non-ferrous and Rare Metals and Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Tsvetan Tsvetkov.

The first class was enrolled in 1960. The students’ training was conducted by Bulgarian lecturers: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Ts. Tsvetkov, Prof. D.Sc. Eng. H. Vassilev, Prof. Dr. Eng. P. Bakardjiev, Prof. D.Sc. Eng. R. Dimitrov, Eng. Mechenov, etc. with active participation of specialists from Russia (USSR) (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. I. Tsaregorodtsev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. N. Kuznetsov).

Since its establishment till 2000 the NFMA department was led by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Tsvetan Tsvetkov, Prof. D.Sc. Eng. Hristo Vassilev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. D. Chavdarova, Prof. Dr. Eng. Violeta Karoleva and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Gruev. The tuition and research process was conducted with the active participation of: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. I. Grozdanov, Prof. Dr. Eng. P. Bakardjiev, Prof. D.Sc. Eng. G. Haralampiev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. I. Gruev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. V. Stefanova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. D. Kunev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. P. Lesidrenski, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. M. Chimbulev, Sen. Res. Associate Dr. Е. Petkova, etc. During the last decade the department was joined by the assistants: Chief assist. Dr. Eng. V. Petkov, Chief assist. Eng. Y.Trifonov, Dr. Eng. B. Lucheva and Dr. Eng. P. Iliev.

The NFMA division tutors specialists for the educational degrees: Bachelor, Master and Doctor in vocational Division 5.9 Metallurgy (Non-ferrous Metallurgy and Alloys). Graduates and Ph.D. students from the department develop their graduation papers and Ph.D. theses at the Department, at metallurgical works, research centers and under international educational projects SOCRATES and ERAZMUS at universities in Greece and Belgium. Students from Guinea, Panama, Greece, Poland, Vietnam, etc., obtained engineer’s qualification at the department. The graduates from that division find appropriate realization in Bulgaria and abroad as process engineers, research scientists and lecturers in the field of extractive Non-ferrous Metallurgy, processing of scrap containing precious and heavy nonferrous metals, at governmental and nongovernmental environmental organizations and in other spheres of the public and private sectors.

From the time the department was established till present day, more than 1100 students graduated the division of Non-ferrous Metallurgy and Alloys.

The main research scopes at the NFMA division are related to the development of highly efficient and environment-friendly technologies for extraction of copper, nickel, cobalt, etc. from ground and deep-sea sources; extraction of precious metals from intermediate products, metallurgical and mining scrap; development of innovative, new electrode materials for alternative energy sources, etc.

Just over the recent decade, the staff of the division participated actively in 5 international contracts, 52 national projects financed by the metallurgical, mining, chemical, etc. industries, projects financed from the Fund of Science Research of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science (MEYS) and 32 projects financed by the Science Research Sector in UCTM-Sofia.

The recent years are characterized by intensive renovation of the division’s equipment. The cost of equipment purchased with a view to the contract subjects by the Found of Science Research Fund of MEYS is more than 120 000 BGN (electrochemical Doctor Bob’s cell with potentiostat/ galvanostat/ZRA Series 300 and RDE710 system operating with rotating disc made by Gamry, metalоgraphic microscopes Leica DM2500M and stereo-microscope Leica M80, equipped with a color digital camera Leica EC3 and Leica LAS software, Labo- Force-1 grinding machine made by Struers A/S, etc. The modernization process was joined by the KCM Non-Ferrous Metal Works in Plovdiv who donated a laboratory induction furnace; the Sofia-MED S.A. etc.

The division NFMA maintains professional contacts with metallurgical and mining and ore dressing enterprises: Aurubis Bulgaria AD Pirdop, KCM AD Plovdiv, ALCOMET Shumen, SOFIA-МED S.A., a subsidiary of ХАLCОR - Greece, DUNDEE PRECIOUS METALS INC Chelopech; the companies SGS, DITEEX LTD, RINTEX etc., as well as with international educational establishments such as the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium, MISiS in Moscow, Russia, АGH University of Science and Technology, Poland, the Interoceanmetall Consortium in Poland, etc.

Semiconductor Technology Division

Initially the CTMMEC Chair was named “Chemistry and Technology of Semiconductors and Electronic Components” and was established in 1961 in order to meet the needs of the industry for highly qualified specialists in the technology of semiconductors and electronic components. Currently it is a specialization module in semiconductor materials and technologies within the Material Science speciality.

The first class of students of the independent Chair CTMMEC was admitted in 1961 and is trained after curricula developed by Prof. D.Sc. Eng. Zorka Boncheva- Mladenova and Prof. D.Sc. Hristo Vodenicharov who read lectures in Semiconductor Chemistry and Semiconductor Physics, respectively.

The first Head of the department elected was Prof. Dimiter Djoglev who reads lectures in Semiconductor Technology. The staff of the Department includes specialists the majority of which have graduated the department and were transferred to the Science Research Sector (SRS). At different times, the Department was headed by Prof. D.Sc. Eng. Zorka Boncheva-Mladenova, Prof. D.Sc. Eng. Georgy Peev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Stoyan Karbanov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Todora Racheva-Stambolieva, Prof. D.Sc. Eng.Ventseslav Vassilev and Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivanya Markova-Deneva. In 2002- 2008 the academic staff of SCT Division consisted of 9 associate professors with Doctor’s degrees (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Т. Racheva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. I. Iliev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. G. Georgiev, Assoc. Prof. V. Shanov, Assoc. Prof. L. Ilkov, Assoc. Prof. V. Vassilev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Iv. Markova- Deneva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. L. Zambov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. B. Ivanov) and 2 assistants (Dr. Eng. L. Algihamani and Eng. L. Slavov).

The ST Division trains specialists in the educational degrees «Bachelor» and «Master » in «Semiconductor materials and technologies » and Metrology. The graduates can work in the field of deep refining and semiconductor material technology for the electronics and micro-electronics, production of electronic and microelectronic products in the machine building, chemical and metallurgical industry, electronics, electrical engineering, etc., and at science-research centers in Bulgaria and abroad. ST Division also trains Ph.D. students in the scientific speciality of Semiconductor and Electronic Component Technology. Over the recent decade 47 masters of science and 80 bachelors from the full-time and part-time form of training have successfully defended their theses.

The science-research subjects covered by the division are: Materials and technologies for production of electronic components; pure and extra-pure materials for electronics, electrical engineering, optoelectronics; synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles, hybrid nanoparticles, porous nanocomposites based on porous silicon and optically active polymers, carbon foam and inter-metal nanoparticles) for catalysts, functionalized nanomaterials for medicine, nanocomposites for the electronics, opto- electronics and high-vacuum technology, for electrodes in galvanic current sources. In 2002-2012 five projects were financed in Division ST by the Science Research Fund of MEYS, 26 projects were financed by SCS at UCTM-Sofia and 2 participations in international projects. The equipment is continuously renovated, resulting in higher quality of training of the undergraduates and Ph.D. students.

The ST Division maintains contacts with the electronics business, such as EPIQ Electronic Assembly- Botevgrad, Sensata- Botevgrad, AMG Technology-Botevgrad, Curtis Balkan- Sofia, Micron20-Sofia, Sammuel 90-Samokov. The academic staff maintains scientific contacts with the University of Cincinaty and the National University of Kansas in the Processing United States, the National Polytechnical University of Toulouse - France, Institute of Materials of Nantes - France, University of Science and Technologies in Montpellier - France, University of Cardiff - Wells, Processing United Kingdom, University of Birmingham - Processing United Kingdom, Univesrity of Scopije - Macedonia, MISiS in Moscow, Rus sia, Russian University of Chemical Technology D. I. Mendeleev in Moscow, Russia.