Hefei Institutes of Physical Science
Profile
| Official Chinese name | 中国科学院合肥物质科学研究院 |
|---|---|
| Official English name | Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS |
| Chinese aliases | 合肥物质院 |
| English aliases | |
| Acronyms | HFIPS |
| Research fields | Plasma physics, magnetic confinement nuclear fusion engineering, optical remote sensing of atmospheric environments, laser and optoelectronics science and technology, strong magnetic field science and technology, environmental science and engineering, advanced nuclear energy, biophysics, translational medicine, advanced diagnosis and treatment technology, materials science and engineering, artificial intelligence and robotics, smart agricultural technology |
| Total employee count | 2,700 (as of 23 November 2025) |
Summary
Hefei Institutes of Physical Science is categorised as a Core Defence Partner based on the following indicators:
- Defence advisor
- 0 indicators
- Defence award
- 2 indicators
- Defence funding
- 4 indicators
- Defence laboratory
- 3 indicators
- Military-technology patent
- 4 indicators
- Research collaboration with defence entities
- 4 indicators
A core defence partner is deeply involved in research and programmes that strengthen and sustain China’s defence capabilities. Senior figures may help steer national defence research priorities; many of its researchers and projects have recently been recognised for addressing defence needs; a significant body of current work is sponsored by defence organisations; it runs laboratories aligned with military objectives; produces a large number of defence-related patents in recent years; and/or publishes extensively and regularly with defence institutions. Together, these patterns show that defence work is routine, largescale and built into the institute’s operations and identity.
Rules-based framework
| Rule | Resulting category |
|---|---|
| Two or more indicators = 4 | Core defence partner |
| One indicator = 4 and two indicators = 3 or Three or more indicators = 3 | Regular defence partner |
| One indicator = 4 and one indicator = 3 and all other indicators = 1 or 2 or Two indicators = 3 and all other indicators = 1 or 2 | Limited defence partner |
| All indicators between 0 and 2 | Civilian institute |
| Three or more indicators = 0 | Insufficient data |
Note: All indicators operate on a 0 to 4 scale. There are a total of six indicators.
For more information on the graded scales see the user guide.
Defence advisory roles
There is insufficient information to assess whether any member of the leadership of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science have served on defence-related expert committees.
Defence awards
Available information indicates that researchers affiliated with the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science have received at least three defence awards over time. These were all separate instances of the Anhui Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker Award.[1]
The awards were granted in 2020, 2022 and 2025,[2] at times when the recipients were working for the institute. With the exception of one researcher who left in April 2025,[3] records indicate that these researchers remain employed at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science.
Researchers and projects at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science have probably received only two defence awards since 2021. However, because the underlying data are incomplete and outdated, this assessment is made with medium confidence. Awards granted to individuals not surveyed or in recent years cannot be ruled out.
Defence funding
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science authored 402 publications funded by Chinese defence entities, placing the institute in the 100th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. Of the 6,127 authors affiliated with the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science who published during this period, 530 (9 per cent) had at least one defence-funded publication. However, it is not possible to attribute specific funding to individual researchers based solely on publication data.
Defence laboratories
No publicly available information suggests that this institute hosts or is affiliated with any known defence laboratories. However, one laboratory, not categorised as a defence laboratory, referenced links to defence activities on its Chinese‑language website. General references to promoting national security or defence are common on CAS laboratory websites. These statements often serve as broad affirmations of alignment with national policy objectives — a routine expression of support for government priorities that can be important for maintaining institutional standing, access to funding or official recognition — rather than firm evidence that the laboratory conducts defence-related research.
State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Optical Monitoring Technology
| Name | State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Optical Monitoring Technology [国家环境保护环境光学监测技术重点实验室] |
|---|---|
| Research topics | Environmental optics applications, new methods for quantitative monitoring |
| Defence ties | According to its website, this laboratory ‘led the drafting of one national military standard’.[4] |
There are no websites for the Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Extreme Condition Condensed Matter Physics [极端条件凝聚态物理安徽省重点实验室], the Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Magnetic Confinement Nuclear Fusion [磁约束核聚变安徽省实验室] or the Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Bionic Perception and Advanced Robotics Technology [安徽省仿生感知与先进机器人技术重点实验室].
Military-technology patents
Between 2021 and 2025, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science was granted 13 military-technology patents, placing it in the 82nd percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. A total of 84 inventors affiliated with the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science were listed on these patents.
Research collaboration with defence entities
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science co-authored 947 publications with at least one Chinese defence entity, placing the institute in the 90th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis.
These collaborations include 136 publications with PLA academic institutions, 439 with defence laboratories, 4 with military hospitals, 363 with members of the Seven Sons of National Defence, 129 with members of the Seven Sons of Ordnance Industry and 20 with defence conglomerates.
Of the 6,127 authors affiliated with the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science who published during this period, 999 (16 per cent) had at least one defence-related collaboration.
Return to directoryNotes
All cited web content was viewed at its original website location; however, to ensure ongoing accessibility we are providing links to Internet Archive versions here.
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science. 2020. ‘The “2020 National Science Popularization Day Anhui Province and Hefei City Main Venue Activities” kicked off at Science Island.’ [“2020年全国科普日安徽省暨合肥市主场活动”在科学岛启幕]. 19 September. As of 7 April 2026; He, Xiaohang. 2022. ‘On National Science and Technology Workers' Day, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science received multiple honors.’ [全国科技工作者日，合肥研究院获评多项荣誉]. Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, 30 May. As of 7 April 2026; Qi, Qiong. 2025. ‘Liu Dong was awarded the title of “Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker in Anhui Province” in 2025.’ [刘东获2025年“安徽省最美科技工作者”荣誉称号]. Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, 27 May. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science. 2020. ‘The “2020 National Science Popularization Day Anhui Province and Hefei City Main Venue Activities” kicked off at Science Island.’ [“2020年全国科普日安徽省暨合肥市主场活动”在科学岛启幕]. 19 September. As of 7 April 2026; He, Xiaohang. 2022. ‘On National Science and Technology Workers' Day, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science received multiple honors.’ [全国科技工作者日，合肥研究院获评多项荣誉]. Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, 30 May. As of 7 April 2026; Qi, Qiong. 2025. ‘Liu Dong was awarded the title of “Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker in Anhui Province” in 2025.’ [刘东获2025年“安徽省最美科技工作者”荣誉称号]. Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, 27 May. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Baike Baidu. 2025. ‘Huang Chenguang.’ [黄晨光]. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Optical Monitoring Technology. 2025. ‘Laboratory introduction.’ [实验室简介]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴