Institute of Physics
Profile
| Official Chinese name | 中国科学院物理研究所 |
|---|---|
| Official English name | Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Chinese aliases | 物理所, 国立中央研究院物理研究所, 北平研究院物理学研究所, 中国科学院应用物理研究所 |
| English aliases | |
| Acronyms | IOP |
| Research fields | Condensed matter physics, encompassing condensed matter physics, optics, atomic and molecular physics, plasma physics, soft matter and biophysics, theoretical and computational physics, materials science and engineering |
| Total employee count | Unknown |
Summary
Institute of Physics is categorised as a Core Defence Partner based on the following indicators:
- Defence advisor
- 1 indicators
- Defence award
- 1 indicators
- Defence funding
- 4 indicators
- Defence laboratory
- 3 indicators
- Military-technology patent
- 2 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
Members of the leadership of the Institute of Physics leadership have probably not served on any defence-related expert committees before 2023. Because the available data are somewhat outdated, the assessment is made with medium confidence, particularly with respect to more recent activity.
Defence awards
Available information indicates that researchers currently affiliated with the Institute of Physics have received at least two separate defence awards over time. These include one Science and Technology Progress of the PLA Award and one Military Science and Technology Award.[1]
The PLA Science and Technology Progress Award was granted in 2000. However, data on the recipient's employment history showed that they were not employed by the Institute of Physics in 2000.[2] The date of the Military Science and Technology Award is not known and the researcher had spent the beginning of their career employed at another institute.[3] Due to this, neither award can be tied to work carried out at the Institute of Physics.
Researchers and projects at the Institute of Physics have probably not received any defence awards. Because the underlying data is somewhat outdated and lacks sufficient detail, this assessment is made with medium confidence. Awards granted prior to researchers' affiliation with the institute or more recently cannot be fully ruled out.
Defence funding
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Institute of Physics authored 130 publications funded by Chinese defence entities, placing the institute in the 96th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. Of the 4,353 authors affiliated with the Institute of Physics who published during this period, 259 (6 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, three laboratories, not categorised as defence laboratories, referenced links to defence activities on their 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.
Key Laboratory of Condensed Matter Theory and Computation
| Name | Key Laboratory of Condensed Matter Theory and Computation [凝聚态理论与材料计算重点实验室] |
|---|---|
| Research topics | Theoretical physics |
| Defence ties | According to its website, this laboratory won 'one the first prize of the Military Science and Technology Progress Award'.[4] |
Key Laboratory of Photophysics
| Name | Key Laboratory of Photophysics [光物理重点实验室] |
|---|---|
| Research topics | New optical materials, laser physics, photonic crystals, nonlinear optics, quantum optics |
| Defence ties | According to its website, this laboratory developed laser range measurement equipment for the 'Two Bombs, One Satellite' [两弹一星] programme, which was China's nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missile and artificial satellite programme in the 1960s.[5] |
Key Laboratory for Clean Energy
| Name | Key Laboratory for Clean Energy [清洁能源重点实验室] |
|---|---|
| Research topics | Lithium-ion batteries, solar cells, semiconductor lighting |
| Defence ties | According to its website, this laboratory seeks to 'serve the development of the national economy and national defence construction'.[6] |
Military-technology patents
Between 2021 and 2025, the Institute of Physics was granted three military-technology patents, placing it in the 51st percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. A total of 10 inventors affiliated with the Institute of Physics were listed on these patents.
Research collaboration with defence entities
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Institute of Physics co-authored 1,010 publications with at least one Chinese defence entity, placing the institute in the 94th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis.
These collaborations include 37 publications with PLA academic institutions, 171 with defence laboratories, 800 with members of the Seven Sons of National Defence, 434 with members of the Seven Sons of Ordnance Industry and 5 with defence conglomerates.
Of the 4,353 authors affiliated with the Institute of Physics who published during this period, 1,116 (26 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.
- Institute of Physics. 2026. 'Senior Professional: Wei Zhiyi' [正高级：魏志义.] As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴; Key Laboratory of Condensed Matter Theory and Computation, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 'Researcher: Liu Wuming' [研究员：刘伍明]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Key Laboratory of Condensed Matter Theory and Computation, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 'Researcher: Liu Wuming' [研究员：刘伍明]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Institute of Physics. 2026. 'Senior Professional: Wei Zhiyi' [正高级：魏志义.] As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Institute of Physics. 2026. 'Key Laboratory of Condensed Matter Theory and Computation [凝聚态理论与材料计算重点实验室]'. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Key Laboratory of Photophysics. 2021. 'About us' [本室介绍]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Key Laboratory for Clean Energy. 2025. 'Laboratory introduction' [实验室简介]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴