The Institute of Physics (IOP) was established in 1950, through the merger of the National Research Institute of Physics of Academia Sinica (established in 1928), and the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Peiping (established in 1929). After the founding of the People’s Republic of China it became known as the Institute of Applied Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The present name was adopted in October 1958.
Through the steadfast efforts of generations of scientists, IOP has become a comprehensive and multidisciplinary research organization engaged in research on basic and applied physics. Its current research focuses mainly on condensed matter physics, optical physics, atomic and molecular physics, plasma physics, soft matter physics, and condensed matter theory and computational physics.
IOP houses state key laboratories for superconductivity, magnetism and surface physics, respectively; and seven CAS key laboratories for optical physics, advanced material and structure analysis, nanophysics and nano devices, extreme conditions physics, soft matter physics, renewable energy, and condensed matter theory and material computation, respectively. IOP also has two institute laboratories in the fields of solid-state quantum information and quantum computation, and microfabrication, respectively. In addition, the institute also houses the Quantum Simulation Science Research Center, the CSNS Engineering Center for Target Stations and Instruments, the International Center for Quantum Structures, the Center for Clean Energy, the Superconducting Technology Applications Center, and the Functional Crystal Research and Applications Center.
