The review is an extended version of a report delivered at a session of the Department of Physical Sciences, the Department of Energetics, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanics, and Control Processes, and the Coordinate Council on Technical Sciences of the RAS devoted to the 60th anniversary of the first hydrogen bomb test. The significant physical ideas suggested by A D Sakharov and V L Ginzburg underlying our first hydrogen bomb, RDS-6s, and numerous concrete problems and difficulties which had to be solved and overcome during the design of thermonuclear weapons are presented. The understanding on the country’s leaders and the Atomic Project managers of the exceptional role of fundamental science in the appearance and implementation of our scientists’ concrete ideas and suggestions is emphasized.

PACS: 01.65.+g, 28.70.+y, 89.20.Dd (all) DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.0184.201409f.0975 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2014/9/e/ 000346959600005 2-s2.0-84936988962 2014PhyU...57..903R Citation: Ritus V I "Tamm—Sakharov group in work on the first hydrogen bomb" Phys. Usp. 57 903–911 (2014) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Received: 4th, February 2014, accepted: 15th, July 2014 Оригинал: Ритус В И «Группа Тамма—Сахарова в работе над первой водородной бомбой» УФН 184 975–983 (2014); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0184.201409f.0975 V.L. Ginzburg is author and editor of Physics-Uspekhi A.D. Sakharov is author of Physics-Uspekhi