In Russian it is often referred to by the acronym FIAN (ФИАН) standing for "Physical Institute of the Academy of Sciences".

The range of the research activities includes: laser technology, dark matter structure, nanostructures, superconductivity, cosmic rays, and gamma-astronomy.

The institute developed a technique of crystallizing cubic zirconia (which was called Fianit in Russia, named after FIAN).

The institute has, among other research facilities, a particle accelerator: 1.2 GeV electron synchrotron called "Pakhra", located in Troitsk near Moscow (at the LPI's HEP department).

The film (original title «Мишик Казарян: путь Искателя») was directed by Leonid Ioffe.