Dear Readers!

The editorial board of the journal Kristallografiya (Crystallography Reports) continues publication of thematic issues devoted to the study of the structure, composition, and properties of both inorganic and organic materials.

In previous thematic issues the authors represented mainly Russian academic research centers. The existence and efficient activity of the academic scientific centers is impossible without the constant supply of young workers—graduates of higher educational institutions with necessary competencies. These competencies can only be obtained by participating in scientific research being still a student.

The issue brought to your attention opens new a page of thematic collections and introduces the research carried out at the alma mater of the Russian X-ray structural analysis—Moscow State University.

It was Professor of Moscow State University Petr Nikolaevich Lebedev who made the first in Russia report on X-rays at a meeting of the Society of Natural Science Lovers in Moscow on January 5, 1896. It was Professor of Moscow State University Georgii Vikto-rovich Wulf, who, together with Lebedev’s laboratory employee Nikolai Evgen’evich Uspenskii, performed experimental studies in 1913, which laid foundations for the experimental study of crystal structure in Russia. Specifically at the Department of Metal Physics of Moscow State University training of the first Russian specialists in X-ray diffraction analysis began in 1927.

Later on, the Department of Metal Physics was renamed into the Department of X-ray Diffraction Analysis, and then into the Department of Solid State Physics. All this time, the department staff has been and continues to be engaged into active scientific activities, remaining at the cutting edge of science.

The main “product” of the department has always been, is, and will be highly qualified specialists in the structure, composition, and properties of both inorganic and organic materials, trained for the needs of our country, as well as the personnel of the highest scientific qualification: candidates and doctors of sciences. During the entire period of its existence the department has trained about 1000 experts, more than 220 candidates of sciences, and 21 doctors of sciences, many of whom headed departments in Russian higher educational institutions, laboratories, academic and industrial research centers.

All articles of this issue were prepared with participation of the employees of the Department of Solid State Physics of the Faculty of Physics of Moscow State University. The presented works reflect only a part of the research carried out at the department. Nevertheless, the material gives a sufficient idea of the breadth of the subject area and the existing level of qualification of the researchers, who are well known to the world crystallographic community.

Respectfully, Editorial Board Issue Guest Editor, Doctor in Physics and Mathematics, Professor A.P. Oreshko