Founded in 1954, it took another quarter of a century for the Institute of Physics to assume its current form following a merge with the Institute of Solid Particle Physics and the Low Temperatures Department of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. Nowadays the Institute of Physics represents one of the most dynamically evolving institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
2024
The Institute of Physics celebrates 70 years since its foundation (1 January 1954). As part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary, lectures on the history and future of FZU and other accompanying events were held.
2023
As of 1 January 2023, the ELI Beamlines laser centre becomes part of the European Research Consortium ELI ERIC.
On 12 July 2023, the European digital innovation hub Brain4Industry for collaboration with industry is opened in Dolní Břežany.
The main building Na Slovance was insulated and equipped with sunbreakers on southern facade.
2021
On 22 September 2021, the new building for solid state physics research was inaugurated. Thanks to the SOLID 21 project, we have acquired a new centre with 55 laboratories with a total area of 1,235 m2, a multifunctional hall with a capacity of up to 300 seats and 46 new instruments. The project involved more than 200 researchers (including more than 60 women) and more than 40 students at different levels of study.
2019
On 14 August 2019, the cornerstone was laid for the new building of the solid state physics research centre. The project is implemented under SOLID21.
As of 26 April 2019, the Institute of Physics has held the HR Excellence in Research Award Certificate awarded by the European Commission.
2018
On 2 July, the L3-HAPLS, a unique laser system, manufactured for ELI Beamlines at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the USA, was launched in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This laser system represents a new generation of diode-pumped, pulsed high-energy power laser systems.
2017
On 16 May, an opening ceremony was held in HiLASE to start the implementation of the “HiLASE Centre of Excellence”, with the participation of the European Commission representatives and British partners from Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
2016
Mid-December 2016 - DiPOLE 100, diode-pumped, solid state laser, aka “Bivoj” reached full operational parameters. For more than an hour and without any external input, the system was generating stable laser pulses with an output energy of 100 J and a repetition frequency of 10 Hz.
2014
The Institute of Physics celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding.
The Division of High-Power Systems was created under which another modern laser centre HiLASE was established in Dolní Břežany.
2012
The funding by the European Union's Structural Funds enabled a pan-European research project entitled Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI). The ELI project includes the ELI Beamlines centre in Dolní Břežany, designed to operate the most intensive laser system in the world.
2007
On 1 January 2007 - the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences became a public research institution (in Czech: “v. v. i.”) as per No. 341/2005 Coll.
1998
Joint Low Temperatures Laboratory established, operated jointly by the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University and Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The PALS (Prague Asterix Laser System) Research Centre established in cooperation with the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
1989
The Velvet Revolution brought about important changes in research freedom and the organisation of the institution.
1984
Joint Laboratory of Optics was established as a joint facility of Palacký University and the Institute of Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences.
1983
Department of Applied Plasma Physics, originally part of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, becomes part of the Institute of Physics.
1979
The Institute of Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences assumes its current form by merging the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Solid State Matter and the Low Temperatures Department of the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Řež
1970
The Institute of Physics is relocated to a newly completed building at “Na Slovance”.
1962
On 1 January, the Institute of Technical Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, a future part of the Institute of Physics, was renamed to the Institute of Solid State Physics.
1959
The Institute of Physics has over one-hundred employees in five centres in Viničná, Ke Karlovu, Máchova, Křemencova and Majakovského streets, Prague.
1955
The Institute of Physics splits off its section in Hostivař and forms the foundation of the future Institute of Nuclear Physics, with Čestmír Šimáně in charge.
1954
The Institute of Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences is created in parallel to the Institute of Technical Physics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences by merging the Laboratory for Nuclear Physics and the Laboratory for Experimental and Theoretical Physics, with Čestmír Šimáně becoming its first director.
The history of the Institute of Solid State Physics that became a part of the Institute of Physics
1953
On 1 January - the Institute was renamed to the Institute of Technical Physics - splitting off the Geophysical Institute and the Laboratory of Optics - with Jindřich Bačkovský becoming the first director.
1952
The Central Institute of Physics became one of the seven founding institutes of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences established on 17 November 1952.
1951
In January the Institute is relocated to the premises of the Research Institute of the Czechoslovak Sugar industry in Střešovice, Prague.
The Institute held a Physicist Conference in Liblice and declared the solid state physics and nuclear physics as two main future directions in Czechoslovak physics.
1950
On 1 July - a government regulation establishes the Central Physical Institute. It was created by merging the Institute for Physical Research with the Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and the Geophysical Institute.
1946
In April the Physical Research was delegated to the Central Directorate of the Czechoslovak Metal Processing and Engineering Factories.
The Laboratory of Nuclear Physics is established.
1939
After universities were closed during WW2, the Department of Physical Research was relocated to Škoda Factories in Smíchov, Prague, staying until 1950.
1934
The Department of Physical Research is established under the laboratories of Václav Dolejšek’s Spectroscopic Institute of Charles University at the initiative of Vítězslav Havlíček from the Electrotechnical Plant of the Škoda Factories in Pilsen.