Founding of the Institute
In 1962, Gong Zutong (academician of CAS), the famous scientist and one of the founders of China's optical industry, was appointed as director to establish the Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics.

Mr. Gong Zutong (the Member of the academic department) was the founder of XIOPM, the first director as well as the famous optics expert.

In 1963, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM) undertook the development of 200,000 high-speed cameras per second and long-focus Kerr high-speed cameras. Since then, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics had started the hard expedition on building, science researching and talent developing before they accomplished the development of high-speed cameras in June, 1964.
Achievements of High-speed Photography
In 1967, the Institute developed 2.5 million high-speed cameras per second.
Through more than ten years of hard work, the Institute has attained advanced world level in the field of high-speed photography research, and developed various types of high-speed photography devices of which the frequency of optical-machine high-speed photography ranges from dozens to 20 million per second. The time resolution of a high-speed camera ranges from microseconds (10-6 seconds) to nanoseconds (10-9 seconds) to picoseconds (10-12 seconds).
After Reform and Opening-up, Mr. Hyzer, the former chairman of the International Association of High-Speed Photography, was shocked when he visited the Institute and believed it was one of the world’s few institutes with completed technologies and excellent achievements. Therefore, he recommended Mr. Gong won the honorary medal of International High-speed Photography - "Photo-Sonics Award".

"Photo-Sonics Award"(Gong Zutong) and " High-Speed-Imaging Award "(Zhao Wei)

In September 2006, XIOPM successfully held the "27th International Conference on High-Speed Photography and Photonics" in Xi'an, attended by early 300 people (national representatives, experts and scholars) from 15 countries including the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Australia, Canada, France, India, the Netherlands, Israel, Poland, and South Africa who represented their nation’s highest authority in the field of high-speed photography and photonics.
In September 2010, the 29th International Conference on High-Speed Imaging and Photonics was held in Morioka, Japan. Mr. Zhao Wei, the Director of Xi'an Institute of Optics and Mechanics, was granted the High-Speed-Imaging Gold Award by the conference owing to his outstanding contribution on the field of high-speed imaging and photonics.
Period of Reform and Opening-up
In the 1980s, XIOPM had stepped into a new era of Reform and Opening-up. Academician Xue Mingqiu, Academician Hou Xun and Researcher Zhao Baochang successively hold the position of directors of XIOPM. They, on the basis of guidelines of CAS, actively developed, reformed and constantly reinforced the scientific and technological system, adjusted research projects and expanded the subject areas and research directions.
Besides, they proactively undertook the national major scientific research in the field of transient optics and optoelectronics, optoelectronic engineering, space optics and information optics according to national strategic development, national economy construction and national security demands, which made XIOPM gradually become a comprehensive science research institute based on high-tech innovation and applied basic research.

State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics

In 1991, the State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics was established, and completed the project of “Femtosecond Laser Technology and Ultrafast Process Research”. During that, the project won 6 international advanced scientific research achievements including that ultra-short laser pulse generation technology, which was improved from the highest international level-19 femtoseconds to 12 femtoseconds. The time resolution of the femtosecond tube developed by the team led by Academician Niu Hanben, reached 300 femtoseconds, in addition, the X-ray picosecond scanning and framing technology also attained international advanced level.
Space optics was a rapidly emerging discipline in the late Eighth Five-Year Plan. In 1993, the Space Optics Laboratory was established. The Space Optics Laboratory has formed its own characteristics on high-resolution visible light imaging, hyperspectral imaging, small satellite CCD cameras and space special detection, etc. Academician Xue Mingqiu proposed a concept of the variable-focus remote sensing camera and organized the key technology pre-research.
Period of Knowledge Innovation
In 1999, CAS commenced the implementation of pilot project of knowledge innovation. Under the active cooperation and support of all staff, the company carried out a series of planned and step-by-step activities, reforms and innovations.
In order to enhance cohesion and improve competitiveness, in 1999, the Institute began to make innovative culture program, and confirmed the Institute's innovative culture idea system including core values, organization concepts, research integrity, and core concepts, etc. Through the implementation of the innovation culture, the spiritual outlook of all staff had great changes and the spirit of loving and contributing to institute was deeply kept in mind.
At the same time, by practicing and upgrading the scientific and technological innovation goals, the Institute has confirmed nine innovation directions on basic and applied basic research, strategic high-tech innovation and high-tech industrialization, which promoted the sustainable development of the Institute.
On May 11th 2001, as one of the members of Electro-optics Group, XIOPM joined the pilot project of knowledge innovation of Chinese Academy of Science, which was a milestone in the history of Institute development.

The modern scientific research park of XIOPM was established in 2005

In October 2005, the largest park construction project of Institute was finalized through two years and four months. The modern first-class new scientific research park, located in Xi'an High-tech Development District, facing to the 21st century has been established and put in operation.
Since 2005, Zhao Wei has held the position of Deputy Director, then Director of XIOPM. At the same year, XIOPM successfully entered the third phase of innovation project of CAS. During that, XIOPM frequently made achievements on space optics and became a new force in the aerospace field.
In October 2007, the CCD stereo camera and interference imaging spectrometer developed by XIOPM was successfully launched with the "Chang'e-1" satellite.
In September 2008, the satellite payload "Hyper Spectral Imager" developed by XIOPM was successfully launched with the first environmental satellite in China.
In September 2008, XIOPM successfully developed the optical system for the on-board camera and the in-cabin camera for the Shenzhou seven spacecraft.
Scientific Achievements Incubation
In recent years, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics adheres to facing the forefront of the world's S&T, facing the country's major needs, facing the main field of the national economy, driving development with innovation, and boldly innovating the system of S&T. It adheres to demolish “enclosure”, run opening-up institute for taking the lead in proposing and shaping the "hard technology" double-creative brand.
It established a national one-stop hard technology venture investment incubator platform specialized in high-tech industry incubation and venture capital investment - Zhongke Chuangxing. It initiated the establishment of the first angel fund focused on the industrialization of hard scientific and technological achievements - "Xike Angel" fund, creating the first optoelectronic industry incubator focused on "hard technology" in China, initiating the establishment of a startup camp. It built a technology entrepreneurial ecological network system with “the research institute + Angel Fund + Incubator Entrepreneurship + startup training”.
By the end of June 2019, XIOPM has led to the incubation of 295 "hard technology" enterprises, forming three major industrial groups of photonics manufacturing, photonic information and biophotonics. Seven companies are listed on the new over-the-counter market, with a market capitalization of more than 50 billion Yuan RMB. It has accumulated more than 5 billion Yuan RMB of social investment, driving more than 8,000 jobs, and the value-added of state-owned assets has increased nearly 100 times.

Former Directors：