The Development of Chinese Optics

In 1948, when Mr. Wang returned to China, the old China had only small workshops and some capable craftsmen to repair or assemble the optical instruments on the guns. At that time, the only optical factory is in Kunming, Yunnan, named after the state-owned 298 factory, about 500to 600 people. They mainly serviced for weapon and guns, can make some simple military optical instruments, such as binoculars, artillery, mirror, etc.. At this moment, Mr. Gong, studied optical processing and design in foreign countries, had already returned to China and took charge of the work of the chief engineer of the factory. Mr. Qian, Mr. Yan, Mr. Ding were both concerned about the work of manufacturing optical instruments in China, especially the design and production of the optical lens. But generally speaking, optical manufacturing is poor and the foundation is weak. There is no research on optical industry or optical technology. The development of Chinese optical industry and optical technology began in new China.

There are three periods of Chinese optical development.

1.1949-1960, the initial stage of Chinese optics

In the early days of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Because of the needs of the national economy and national defense construction, Chinese optical engineering has been studied and constructed since liberation. Early 50s, combined with the national science development planning, the Chinese academy of sciences established the first optical research institutions - Chinese science academy Changchun optical precision machinery institution (including Shanghai optical instrument factory and Changchun materials testing factory,etc.). The institutions of higher learning, such as Beijing industrial institute and Zhejiang university also set optical instruments, began to develop optical talent and marks the new optical thus started. Changchun optical machine was mainly engaged in research of optical technology base, materials and components. And it also imitated some precision optical instruments which represented the level at that time. To the end of 50s, Chinese science academy, industrial sector institute and optical factory also gradually rose, mainly engaged in optical engineering research and manufacture of optical instruments. Soviet union had helped us to build the two optical factories, the state-owned 248 factory (military optical instrument) and the state-owned 208 factory (optical glass). All this has preliminarily established the optical technology foundation of China.

The result of this period in the field of optics is the “eight pieces” of high precision optical instrument developed by 1958 Changchun optical research institute, with 1s precision geodesy theodolite, 1 μm precision universal tool microscope, large quartz spectrograph, medium-sized electron microscope, neutron crystal spectrometer, topographic survey with dobby aerial projector, infrared night vision goggles (changing tube), etc., and the series of colored optical glass. In addition, there is also a large scale astronomical instrument of Beijing Technology Institute.

In the 1950s, Chinese education had begun to pay attention to the training of optical instruments, like Zhejiang University, Beijing Technology Institute, Changchun Optical Machine Academy, etc., the state-owned 298 factory, 248 factory, 208 factory and Shanghai optical instrument factory for China to cultivate a large number of engaged in optical engineering, vigorous young students and scientific and technological personnel. For the successor, Shanghai optical institute and Shanghai technical content and all over optical factories transported a large number of technical backbone. The cultivation of talents and achievements gained by the optics and instrument manufacturing industry of China has played a positive role in laying and promoting.

2. Construction Period

Since the 1960s, there has rapidly increased in the number of units and personnel studying optics, especially the emergence of laser, micro-light and infrared technology. In order to adapt to the needs of national defense construction, was established in the country, Shanghai optical institute (laser engineering), Xi’an optical institute (high-speed photography and transient optics), Chengdu photoelectric academy (photoelectric technology with adaptive optics), Anhui optical institute (atmospheric optics and remote sensing), Shanghai technical physics institute (infrared and aviation remote sensing), Xi’an applied optics institute (micro-light and photoelectric), Xi’nan technical physics institute (laser), Kunming technical physics institute (IR, thermal imaging), electronic department had 11 institutes for infrared and laser, 13 institutes for semiconductor, 44 institutes for CCDS, Department of Space had 8358 institutes for laser, photoelectric,IR. They each have own characteristics in the field of optical and photoelectric.

In 1961, the first ruby laser was born in the Changchun optical machine institute, which was only one year later than the ruby invented by Roman in the Hughes Laboratory. With the invention and development of laser, significant changes have been made in optical technology, China has achieved remarkable achievements in laser and other fields.

In the early 1960s, because of international situation and the needs of national defense construction, Chinese optical research institute mostly turned to defense optics technology and engineering research as the main attack direction. International proposed the task of development of large precision optical theodolite tracking film to Changchun optical machine institute, measuring the medium-range ballistic missile flight trajectory, evaluating the operating accuracy of the guidance system and obtaining imaging film records. Changchun optical machine institute, with all the brothers in the country cooperated vigorously and after 5years of unremitting efforts, finally developed the first large optical measurement equipment in China, The machine was more than original design index. Its creation created independently engaging in large precision optical equipment development and production in China.

During the culture revolution, many research work had a lot of inference, but since the 1960s, optical science and technology in China never stopped, especially in the service of “atomic” optical equipment and national defense optical engineering research and development. Such as development of laser technology, infrared technology, thermal imaging, low-light-level night vision, optical remote sensing and range optical instruments, test high-speed photography equipment and large astronomical optical instruments, etc., had made gratifying achievements. It is worth pointing out that the neutron in the field of strong laser technology was thought to be at the same level as they were in international (Canada). 

3. Growth Period

Since the third plenary session of the eleventh, under the guidance of scientific theory of Deng Xiaoping “science and technology is the first productive force”, reform and opening up and the implementation of intellectual policy, greatly mobilized and inspired the enthusiasm and creativity of the Chinese optical science and technology personnel. Optics, like other disciplines, has been duly developed and entered a new phase. Since the 1980s, due to the needs of the development of high technology, the rapid development of modern optics and photonics, laser, shimmer, infrared, holographic, optical fiber communication, optical storage, optical display, promoted the development of the contemporary science and technology, national defense, economy and the improvement of people’s material level. The establishment of the national natural science foundation and the implementation of the “863 plan” had greatly improved the scientific research and experimental conditions of applied optics and optical engineering. According to incomplete statistics, the state key laboratory about optics had been built or open, ultrafast laser spectroscopy laboratory (Zhongshan university), optical instrument laboratory (Zhejiang university), crystal materials laboratory (Shandong university), laser technology laboratory (Huazhong science and technology university), applied optics laboratory (China science academy Changchun optical precision machinery and physics institute), integrated optoelectronics laboratory (Qinghua university, Jilin university, Chinese science academy semiconductor institute), infrared physics laboratory (Chinese science academy Shanghai technical physics institute), photo-voltaic technology and system laboratory (Chongqing university), quantum optics laboratory (Shanxi university), etc.. In addition, the openness sciences research LABS of the Chinese academy are visual information processing laboratory (biophysics institute), laser spectroscopy laboratory (Anhui optical machine institute), high power laser physics laboratory (Shanghai optical machine institute), quantum optics laboratory (Shanghai optical machine institute), the transient optical technology laboratory (Xi 'an light machine), optical and precision machinery new technology laboratory (Chengdu photo-voltaic technology research institute), etc.. Universities and ministries also have several open laboratories and professional laboratories for optics and optoelectronics.All of these are both to strengthen basic research and applied basic research of optics and photonics, adapt to the new era of science and technology development trend, cultivate innovative talents, promote the development of optical engineering, create good conditions for academic exchange and cooperation study. 

At present, the research of optics and photonics in China has a very strong team and has a good foundation. According to incomplete statistics, China is engaged in the applied optics and optical engineering units with large and medium sized institutes and nearly 300 enterprises, employees about 150,000 people, mainly distributed in the Chinese science academy, state education commission, machinery, electronics, weapons, aerospace and other departments.

It can be said, the end of 20 years of 20th century was the era of the great development of modern optics and photonics, and it was also the 20 years of Chinese optics great leap. We can see the changes in our optics as follow:

The transition from traditional optics to modern optics had been completed.

Optics breaks through the traditional constraints and broadens the concept of visible light, from ultraviolet, visible, low light and infrared to the various bands of laser and optical fiber communication. Modern optoelectronic devices and equipment have broken through the traditional structure of the optical machine, and have the characteristics of opto-mechatronics integration. Optoelectronic devices move towards automatic sensing, microcomputer control, CCD camera monitoring, intelligent operation, image processing, etc.. Chinese optics has transformed from traditional optics to modern optics. 

Microelectronic technology and computer technology are widely applied in optics.

The development and application of microelectronics technology, computer technology, to infiltrate the optical fields, become an inseparable part of modern optical instruments, thus promote the optical instruments opto-mechatronics integration and intelligent. 

Energetically develop optoelectronics and optoelectronic technology.

The combination and penetration of electronics, semiconductor technology and optics has produced optoelectronics, including the transformation of light into electricity and the conversion of electricity into light, is a far-reaching interdisciplinary branch. One of the important applications of optoelectronic technology is that optical fiber communication and optoelectronics have entered the information field and become one of the main characters in the information industry. Chinese enterprises have also preempt the photo-electron highlands, successively established a high-tech park with regional features, such as Changchun "photoelectric base", Wuhan "optical valley", Chongqing "photoelectric", Guangzhou "optical valley", Shenzhen "photonic industry" and so on. 

In the field of optics, has been formed a series of new discipline branches and penetrated into other disciplines.

Optical development in China has formed many new branches, the nonlinear optics, optical fiber optics, strong light, the holographic optical, adaptive optics, X-ray optics, astronomy and large optical engineering, laser spectroscopy, transient optical, infrared optics, optical remote sensing technology, acousto-optic and information and so on. Moreover, photonics combined with physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, generated as laser physics, quantum optics, laser dynamics and so on, plasma physics, laser micro photochemical, laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy, laser biology, physical optics, laser medicine, etc.. Modern optical and optical engineering has developed to be primarily optical. It is closely intersected and interpenetrated with disciplines, information science, energy science, materials science, life science, space science, precision machinery and manufacturing, computer science and microelectronics technology and so on. 

Experience of China’s optical development process.

Reviewing the development of Chinese optics, from scratch, and independent development, and obtained some achievements, can have a place in the world of optics, with all aspects of the party's correct leadership and support inseparable, is work together with China youth sockets inseparable.

The development of Chinese optics mainly depends on the "scientific talents" cultivated by itself.

In 1952, Mr. Wang was transferred to the Changchun headquarter science academy instrument pavilion (by Changchun optical machine institute) work. A few years the institute had been assigned to hundreds of the optical professional graduates, is Chinese backbone optical business initially. They quickly grow into academic leaders, and 50s graduation, assigned to the optical professional students, became the pioneers of the new China optical business.

Since the 1950s, regardless of the institute or university, for the cultivation of the young economist, comparison pay attention to the training of basic skill, making they to have a solid theoretical foundation and to cultivate the pragmatic style of hands-on practice. Through the exercise of the actual task, let them choose the heavy burden, from the shallow depth, from the simple to the complex foundation, through the engineering practice and the strict requirements test. Therefore, it had created a group of young experts with profound theoretical foundation and rich practical experience. Mr. Wang felt deeply that today they have a place in the world of optics, mainly because of the early establishment of the new China to the optics of the "scientific talent" training.

The environment of China's optics was very difficult. By the early '60s, life was even harder, and the scientific task was very heavy, but our researchers didn't complain. At that time, the research conditions were poor, and everything depended on do-it-yourself, self-reliance and self-made, but it was also the most exercise. What’s the happiest, the difficult environment made our youth science and technology personnel to exercise more strong, strict training and practice made them on the theory and technology to have a high degree of attainment and level and have the ability to make independent decisions. For decades, Changchun optical machine is fruitful, because of their fine style handed down from generation to generation, can have a special battle, with strong cohesive force, battle-hardened excellent research team, the team unconditionally obeys the command and dispatch, mutual support and coordinated combat, embodies the spirit of science team.

In the early 1960s, the theoretical achievements of Chinese optical field were synchronized with the world science. The theory and design of laser theory and optical system have their own original innovation. China's first ruby laser was born just a year behind. China's laser technology has been developing very rapidly in the initial stage, both in quantity and quality, which was closed to the international level at that time. A new technology can catch up with the world's advanced ranks so quickly, and it is rare in the history of modern science and technology in China. Young Chinese optical experts will be able to make the physical plan, technical plan smoothly into actual devices, to achieve the international advanced level, mainly due to the cohesive force and innovative spirit of young and middle-aged team, solid accumulation in basic research and research for many years in the optical technology, precision machinery and electronic technology accumulation of comprehensive ability and solid foundation.

It is worth mentioning, Changchun optical machine of scientific and technological personnel, through the country much-needed research task for many times, self-reliance, exercise, and work hard to make many remarkable achievements in the field of optical science and technology personnel, by 2001 there was 15 people had been selected as the member of Chinese science academician and Chinese engineering academician. They combined personal ideals with national development and integrated themselves into the optics of the motherland. They are the contacts of The Times. At the same time, in the Chinese science academy and other research institutes and universities, a number of outstanding optical talents had emerged.

In Mr. Wang’s opinion, it is very important for him to consider whether a young scholar is a true scientific and technological talent. He believed that wisdom, diligence, solid basic skills and persistent pursuit of career are very important. But character is also very important. This can be seen from four aspects. The first is whether the project is ambitious. Second, whether he has the sense of mission, enthusiasm and passion. The third is not to be afraid of difficulties, to create and solve problems. Fourth, we have team spirit and teamwork. All of this, through the cultivation of practice, exercise and test, can select the real talent.

In the last half century, the development of Chinese optics had come down to the talent and the high-tech talents we have cultivated. Talent develops by training, and second by exercising. "Science and technology is people-oriented", Mr. Wang means the people is the talented person with high technology quality and adapts The Times demand. There are many factors in scientific success, but the most important thing is the talent. The cultivation of talents needs the environment, needs the good research direction, needs to have the task to exercise, needs to have the time to explore. Mr. Wang thought we need to put talent first in our science and technology work. 

With the discipline of the task, discipline and talents grow in practice.

As we all know, in the early 1960s, the country was in a very difficult period, three years of natural disasters and very tense surrounding areas of the situation, China needed a strong defense to resist foreign aggression. National defense is not to buy, at that time many technology of optics still blank, only depended on oneself. The scientific research tasks of national defense are mostly hard tasks, which were both great challenges and rare opportunities. By completing this arduous and glorious task, they had gradually established the technical foundation of the discipline, which had not only exercised their team, but also brought out the young Chinese science and technology experts. 

Changchun optical machine institute, in the early 1960s, due to the needs of the development of atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs, undertook the task of the development of large film tracking theodolite, the engineering requirement to ballistic trajectory tracking, recording, measuring Angle coordinate, and absorbing the missile attitude at the same time, through 2 ~ 3 sets of theodolite with pacing Angle intersection in order to obtain the space of flying target trajectory. The function distance, positioning accuracy, speed measurement accuracy and other performance index requirements were much higher than all the imported instruments in China at that time. This was a huge project, a large precision measurement equipment including optics, precision machinery and automatic control. The total quality of the instrument is above 7t. Obviously, both the engineering scale, the technical level and the development power were beyond the capacity of the optical machine. Changchun optical machine institute, during the development of optical precision instruments to upgrade the optical, mechanical, electrical, control instrument by the beginning of the transformation, and without reference of large foreign instrument, only could be used for reference of foreign literature in the general description and photos.

At that time, Mr. Qian believed that the Changchun optical machine institute was the only scientific institution with the conditions to undertake the task. Such as the consensus, of course, this was after a hard efforts and innovation to achieve, including to build a discipline on the task in terms of optical technology base and train the ability of self development. After 10 years of building and creating a technological base, they had decomposed the project into dozens of projects in the face of national defense needs, such as overall design of the whole, optics, optical engineering prototype design, preparation and testing of the optical glass, optical technology and coating, tracking system, special control components, hydraulic servo system, optical control system, mechanical structure and drive system, gear technology and testing material and stability, calibration, testing and interpretation, project management and so on. Each project has a person in charge to establish the relevant discipline technology foundation. Through their careful and meticulous organization, the project went smoothly with a total of 600 participants and lasting five and a half years. A large and complex systems engineering, combined with several hundred sub-projects, from the overall plan formulation to theoretical analysis and design, from the general assembly debugging to the field test, was a success. That was enough to be proud of. Through the national level identification, its performance was far superior to that of the imported equipment at that time.

The successful development of big film following theodolite, got rid of the dependence on foreign, fought for the national defense construction on missile ballistic trajectory measuring technology of self-reliance, created a precedent of large optical engineering development in China, for the later development of more advanced theodolite in technology, large and medium-sized laser, infrared, television and movie theodolite, laid a solid foundation and also cultivated the relevant professionals at the same time.

In this task, we set up necessary technical basis for optical field and the corresponding subjects, with school complete condition, and many of their new development were on the subject, but also to cultivate and bring up the corresponding scientific cadre with technology innovation spirit.

Through years of research and practice, the state established a series of key laboratory of optical aspects, constantly strengthens basic technology subject construction, promotes the optical application in national economy and national defense construction, strengthens the power of original innovation.

An effective scientific research organization system for research projects.

Since the establishment of the nation, optical research institutions of China are bound to face a country needs, especially the national defense construction needs various kinds of optical instruments and equipment and engineering research. Most of these tasks was the research of precision cutting-edge products, variety, quantity was less, time was tight. In addition to cultivate talents and establish discipline technology foundation, it was necessary to adopt an effective research and development organization system suitable for China's national conditions. In the process of the whole equipment product development, the system, needed to closely combine with scientific research and production, could not adopt the traditional research and production disjointed method.

Changchun optical machine institute, in the 1960s, began to assume research tasks, the national defense with large precision optical theodolite of tracking film, at that time was to use the so-called "a pole", an effective organization system to finish on time. "A pole", it was accepted by research institute, from pre-study, project demonstration and design, research and test, adjustable test, until produced qualified products, all shall be borne by the institute, and of course depended on the collaboration. And another organization system was considered as the institute of Chinese science academy, the nature of work shall be only to solve the key technical problems, and the task of manufacturing machine to industrial production was completed, the so-called "half pole" of the development of the organization. At that time, they took into consideration the fact that the research and development strength of China's production department was relatively weak, and the research institute carried out the most effective strategy for the implementation of this kind of task by the organizational system of "a pole". The fact that, due to the high technical and comprehensive strong optical engineering or instrument equipment, from the project demonstration, technology to design and manufacture of qualified products, there were a lot of problems overlapping, technology involves many disciplines, were inseparable. Many subtle tricks, from research to manufacture, would be difficult to implement if they were resold from the institute to the factory. Research had established a lot of process inspection equipment and tools, its workload than manufacturing instruments ontology, and often created important manifestation of the process ("atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb and artificial satellite"). They could be used to develop, also could be used in the production, could deftly used for small batch production task. In addition, the actual task requirements were very urgent and, in terms of time, were not allowed to be done with a "half pole" approach.

Large optical precision theodolite of tracking film, etc., many large optical projects, such as 2.16m telescope, "Fengyun No.1" meteorological satellite remote sensing optical equipment, first-generation infrared thermal imager, laser fusion device, picosecond stripe camera, first-generation domestic synchronous radiation engineering, adaptive optics and so on, was because the research department adopted the effective organization system, under the relevant industry sector collaboration vigorously development task, at the same time set up subject technology base and cultivated talent of the optical field training exercise could throughout the global, controlled the overall, theory with practice, solidarity and collaboration.
This effective organization system was an important experience in developing China's optical engineering. People seem to take it for granted today, but it was quite controversial when the country was not yet reforming the system. They believed that this practice was practical and realistic, and it was a kind of innovation in scientific research system. Under the new circumstances of today's reform and opening up, this practice had been further affirmed, and the Chinese science academy had been included in the development system of "one academy, two systems".

We should always carry forward the spirit of “atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb and artificial satellite”.
50 years development course marked of optics in China, in the scientific research should always keep up such a fine tradition and spirit, that is to love the motherland, selfless dedication, self-reliance, hard work, strong coordination, climbing a peak, this is the spirit of " atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb and artificial satellite". They should always carry forward the team spirit of advocating science, solidarity and cooperation, and pursuing the first class and the right spirit. They are relying on this spirit to independently develop the cutting-edge technology of China's optical industry, and make outstanding achievements and contributions to the development of optical cause.