The word "laser" is the Italian translation of "LASER". LASER is originally Light amplification by stimulated emissi on of radiation to take Word combination of specialized terms, in China had been translated into "LASER", "light exciter", "light amplification by stimulated emissi on of radiation", etc. In 1964, academician Qian Xuesen proposed the name "laser". Named "laser", reflecting the "stimulated radiation" of the scientific connotation, but also shows that it is a very strong new light source, apt, evocative and concise, the scientific community in China agreed and used to date.
From 1961, China's first laser announced the successful development of the country's laser research, teaching, production and use of units *** with the efforts of the formation of a complete range of categories, level of advanced, widely used in the field of laser science and technology, and in the industrialization of the progress made in the industrialization of China's science and technology, the national economy and national defense has made a positive contribution to the construction, in the international community has also won a place in the world. It has also gained a place in the international arena. From the very beginning, laser science and technology has been highly valued by leaders and scientific management departments. Zhang Jinfu, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, put forward the idea of establishing a professional laser research institute, which was soon approved by the State Science and Technology Commission and the State Planning Commission. Vice Premier Nie Rongzhen, who is in charge of science and technology, also gave special instructions that the institute should be built in Shanghai, which has a better industrial base and is conducive to the development of this new technology.
In 1964, China's first, but also the world's first professional institute of laser technology - Shanghai Institute of Optics and Precision Machinery of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (referred to as the "Shanghai Institute of Optical Machinery") was established. In December of that year, the National Laser Conference was held in Shanghai, Zhang Jinfu, Yan Jichi attended and presided over the meeting, 140 representatives submitted 103 academic reports.
The "6403" high-energy neodymium glass laser system launched in 1964, the high-power laser system and nuclear fusion research started in 1965, as well as the development of 15 types of military laser machine and other key projects formulated in 1966, due to the technical comprehensiveness and high degree of difficulty, a strong pull and drive the development of all aspects of laser technology in China. The development of all aspects of laser technology in China. Although China's laser science and technology career also suffered the "Cultural Revolution" ten years of catastrophe, but with the support of the key projects, it is still difficult to survive and make valuable progress. The "6403" high-energy neodymium glass laser system was launched in 1964, and finally the thermal effect was judged to be a fundamental technical obstacle, and was dismantled in 1976. The historical contribution of this project to the development of high-energy laser technology cannot be ignored, and it has brought the level of China's laser technology to a new level. Its achievements are mainly manifested in the following: the construction of a large-caliber (120 mm) oscillation - discharge large-scale laser system with engineering scale, the maximum output energy up to 320,000 joules; after improving the quality of the beam up to 30,000 joules. Achieved system technology integration, successfully conducted target hitting experiments, penetrating an 80 mm aluminum target at 10 m indoors and a 0.2 mm aluminum rake at a distance of 2 km outdoors, and systematically investigated the biological effects of intense laser radiation and the mechanism of material destruction. For the first time, the optical damage phenomenon and mechanism of intense light on the laser system itself were revealed. For the first time, the importance and physical connotation of laser beam quality have been y understood, and a series of innovative technologies for improving beam quality have been adopted, such as 10,000-joule-class unstable cavity lasers, lamellar lasers, oscillating-sweeping amplified laser systems, and beam quality diagnosis of tip-splitting method. Breakthroughs have been made in laser components and supporting technologies, such as low-absorption and high-uniformity neodymium glass melting process, high-energy pulsed xenon gas, high-strength dielectric film, and large-caliber (1.2-meter) optical precision machining. A number of technical backbone teams have been trained and developed. High-power laser system and nuclear fusion research In 1964, Wang Jianchang independently put forward the laser fusion initiative, and in 1965 the project was launched for research. After several years of efforts, built the output power of 10 (superscript 10) watts of nanosecond laser device, and in May 1973 for the first time in the low-temperature solid deuterium target, room temperature lithium deuteride target and deuterium polyethylene hit neutrons. Successfully developed in 1974 China's first multi-range sheet amplifier, the laser output power increased by 10 times, the neutron yield increased by an order of magnitude. After the international declassification of the principle of centripetal compression, we actively tracked and developed a six-beam laser system in 1976 to irradiate a gas-filled glass-shell target, obtaining a body compression of nearly 100 times. This series of major breakthroughs, so that China's laser fusion research into the world's advanced ranks, but also for the future long-term sustainable development laid the foundation. Military laser research In December 1966, the National Defense Science and Technology Commission hosted a military laser planning meeting, 48 units of more than 130 people participated in the meeting, the meeting formulated including 15 kinds of laser machine, 9 kinds of support supporting supporting technology development plan. Although not formally approved and effective, but still played a useful role in promoting. In the following years, a number of important achievements have emerged in this field. For example: range laser distance technology success: the use of repeat frequency of 20 Hz YAG Q laser, ranging accuracy of better than 2 meters, the farthest measurement distance of 660 kilometers, plus in the latitude and longitude instrument, can be realized on the flight target of the single station orbiting. This achievement creates the necessary conditions for the later completion of intercontinental missile re-entry segment trajectory measurement. Ruby laser satellite ranging: Successfully measured the U.S. experimental satellites Expl-27, 29 and 36, the farthest measurable distance of 2,300 kilometers, accuracy of about 2 meters. This is the first generation of satellite ranging results, laying the foundation for future longer distance and higher precision satellite ranging. Ruby laser radar and airborne infrared laser radar, for the first time, realized the ground-air and air-air tracking and ranging of aircraft. Laser Aerial Surveyor: Combining laser rangefinder and aerial camera, it is used for ground aerial surveying by aircraft onboard to complete the surveying and mapping of remote areas and other complex terrain. Repetition rate of 6 times / minute, ranging accuracy of 1 meter. Ground Gun Laser Ranging Machine: It can independently complete the functions of observation, ranging, angle measurement (direction and height angle) and magnetic needle orientation. Ranging range 300-10000 meters, accuracy 5 meters. In terms of laser application, Nd:YAG laser communication (3-12 ways), He-Ne laser communication, single/three-way semiconductor laser communication has been successful in communication test; Nd:YAG laser scalpel, CO2 laser scalpel, laser iridectomy instrument and other medical equipment has been put into use; laser holography photography, laser holography in the plane photobombing applications, pulsed laser dynamic Holography and Raman spectrophotometer has become a new means of measurement science; CNC laser cutting machine, laser collimator, laser separation of isotope sulfur, liquid laser for agricultural research, large-screen navigation displays and other results have also gained applications in industry and agriculture. In the National Science Conference held in March 1978, the laser project awarded nearly 80 items, of which about 70 items of civilian products, military products about 10 items, a comprehensive reflection of the development of China's laser technology in this period of achievement. Although the embryonic form of laser industry has appeared as early as in the 1960s in processing (laser punching), medical equipment and distance measuring, etc., however, at that time, it was only sporadic and decentralized small-volume research and development production, failing to form a climate. The real attention and substantial start, or after the reform and opening up, especially the "development of high technology, industrialization" policy guidance, China has a real sense of the laser industry.
January 1987, China Optical Industry Association was established, later renamed China Optical Optoelectronics Industry Association, which has a laser branch. According to the industry association in 1998 on the state of China's laser industry research statistics, the country's main laser products production unit of about 100, 6,400 employees, per capita sales of 125,000 yuan, mainly distributed in Hubei, Beijing and Shanghai. China's laser industry from 1988 100 million yuan to 800 million yuan in 1998, an average annual growth of 22.3%, 10 years total sales of 4.12 billion yuan. 1998 exports of 11.2 million U.S. dollars, accounting for 11.6% of the total value.
According to the usual international classification, laser products, including laser processing, medical, printing, optical storage, ranging and collimation, detection, recreation and education in a variety of laser instruments and equipment, laser devices and laser components for communications, as well as laser material components and parts of 11 categories. In China, the largest sales are laser ranging and collimation, the fastest growing is laser processing (in the past two years YAG laser processing equipment at a rate of 46% -60% growth rate of 90 million yuan, more than CO2 laser processing equipment). Laser medical market was developed earlier, had a high rate of growth, but is now in the doldrums, sales hovering in the 55 million yuan. High-end products market is almost entirely occupied by foreign products, but Tianjin University developed the TD-98 Q-switch ruby laser therapy machine to win the quality, passed the U.S. FDA certification and exported in bulk. 1998 classification of lasers showed that the solid laser accounted for 37.4% of semiconductor lasers accounted for 18.5%, showing a strong solid laser market, semiconductor lasers, the rapid growth of the trend. Diode-pumped solid-state lasers (pulsed, continuous, single-mode frequency-stabilized, microchip, frequency-doubling) will become a new growth point.
For historical reasons, our laser research power is relatively strong, and the laser industry is still in the stage of infant industry, how to seize the opportunity to vigorously promote the development of China's laser industry during the period of social transformation, at home and abroad to occupy a greater share of the market, the majority of laser workers are faced with the glorious and arduous task. After 38 years of efforts, China's laser technology has a relatively strong technical basis, exercise and cultivate a high quality team. This team spread over scientific research, universities, industrial sectors and enterprises, local, scientific and technological personnel amounted to thousands of people, including a number of outstanding young scientists and more than 20 academicians of the two academies of science and technology to return to China. It can be expected that China's laser science and technology in the 21st century will have a more brilliant development. In the ICF laser driver, high-power chemical lasers, semiconductor-pumped solid-state lasers, ultrashort ultra-intense lasers, laser ranging and surveying, artificial crystals and laser industry, China's laser science and technology workers will be innovative and climb new peaks.