We cordially congratulate Professor Alexey I. Ekimov, one of the authors of our journal, the discoverer of semiconductor quantum dots, on being awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Quantum dots have become the subject of numerous fundamental and applied research. Studying the unique properties of these nanoobjects has opened the way to a wide range of applications, including light sources, biomarkers, lasers, nonlinear light converters, photovoltaic cells, etc. The awarding of the Nobel Prize to pioneers in the field of synthesis and research of quantum dots Alexei Ekimov and his American colleagues Moungi Bawendi and Louis Bruce for bringing color to nanotechnology” once again demonstrates the demand for fundamental research and discoveries. It should be noticed once again the achievements of Soviet and Russian physical science, the scientific school on luminescence, the foundations of the Academician Sergei I. Vavilov in this field of science. For more details see: https:// www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2023/10/advanced-chemistryprize2023.pdf.

In this issue we bring to your attention an article by A. Ekimov dated October 1980 on spectroscopic and lasing properties of highly-concentrated glasses doped with rare-earth ions, prepared based on the materials of the report at the “Laser Optics” conference (Leningrad, January 1980).