Mikhail Tretyakov’s scientific legacy

Mikhail Yurievich Tretyakov (1958 - 2024) was a leading spectroscopist working at terahertz and microwave wavelengths. He made substantial advances in sub-millimeter spectrometers and performed spectroscopic studies on isolated gaseous, molecular complexes and, in particular, the water dimer. He also studied molecular interactions and line shapes, using them to develop ideas about the physics of the water continuum. In this memorial paper, we review Mikail Tretyakov’s life and his major scientific achievements. • This review is dedicated to the memory of Mikhail Tretyakov (1958 - 2024). • He made pioneering developments of terahertz spectrometers. • He recorded novel spectra of key molecules in the THz range. • He studied gas phase dimers, most notable the water dimer, under equilibrium conditions.