Institute of Optics

The Institute of Optics was founded after the reunification of four universities, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University in 1998. The major part of the institute inherits individual optics disciplines of the former Zhejiang University and Hangzhou University, which has a much longer history than the institute itself. In 1981 and 1998, postgraduate programs of Masters and PhDs were, respectively, established with the approval of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council. The postdoctoral program was also established.

The Institute of Optics is an academic division in the Department of Physics at Zhejiang University. It possesses the Key Discipline of Optics in Zhejiang Province, and makes contribution in the construction of National Key Disciplines such as “theoretical physics”, “condensed matter physics” and “optical engineering” of Zhejiang University. It is also part of the Interdisciplinary Center for Quantum Information of ZJU and the State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instruments. Now the Institute of Optics has 10 full-time professors (including one academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, one Changjiang Scholar/National Distinguished Young Scholar, four Tenure-track Research Professors), 4 associate professors, several postdoctoral fellows, nearly 25 doctoral students and 30 graduate students. The Institute of Optics has won many prizes from the Chinese Central Government and the Zhejiang Provincial Government, including The National Natural Science Prize, National Invention Prize, National Science and Technology Advancement Prize, and more than 10 Provincial Scientific Prizes. The institute focuses on laser physics, quantum optics, cold atoms, and new optical materials/metamaterials, ranging from basic researches to their applications.