The Department of Physics currently has three master points: optics, theory of course and teaching, and history of science and technology. There is an excellent teacher team, including Academician Yang Guozhen, Prof. Li Fuli (tutor for doctoral students), as well as 8 other professors and several associate professors.

Optics

The optics master point was established in 1981. After more than 20 years of construction and development, it has formed a considerable scale and unique characteristics, and has been listed as one of the key construction subjects of the university. The specialty is divided into the following research directions:

1． Photoelectric information processing: provided with all kinds of large-scale optical masers, optical platforms and other equipments, this direction is principally engaged in the fields of computer direct plate-making, large-area holography and holographic composition, etc. All these topics have direct application values and a vast market demand
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2． THz spectrum and imaging: study in aspect of THz is an emerging research direction in the world, and it mainly uses THz radiation to study the spectrum characteristics of condensed substances, and to establish THz radiation imaging system.

3． Photoelectric information materials: manufactures and prepares the new-generation information storage materials ---- magnetic multi-layer film, and studies the main application characteristics such as magnetooptic effect, spin valve, tunnel junction, gigantic magnetic impedance, etc.

4． Optoelectronics: mainly engaged in optical chaos, chaos control theory, etc.

5． Photon crystal theories: principally studies the physical characteristics such as transmission, emission and absorption of photons in band gap materials. In the field of optical information materials, it is an interesting direction with a favorable application prospect.

6． Nanometer optical and micro apparatus: possessing a Beijing municipal key laboratory, this direction mainly uses photons as probes to research the optoelectronic characteristics of ultrathin films and nanometer materials.

History of science and technology

History of science and technology is a Grade I subject of the natural science class. Under the history of science and technology (history of physics) are set four research directions: history of physics, history of experimental physics, history of physics and education, and social research of physics development. After graduation, the students will gain a degree of Master of Science. This specialty cultivates teaching and scientific research talents in history of science and technology (history of physics), and nearly 20 masters have graduated from here, and now are working in colleges and universities, new agencies and publishing houses, research institutes, key middle schools, and so on.

This specialty pays much attention to requirements of the cultivation objectives of normal colleges and universities, gives prominence to the study and teaching of the history of physics findings and the history of physics thoughts, and makes efforts to cramp out the quality education factors in the cases of physics history, to carry out researches on the history of science and technology and scientific education.

The current research projects include: key topics of The Chinese Academy of Engineering Sciences, topics of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, Chinese higher education research society, and key scientific research projects of Capital Normal University: outline of history of Chinese physics (the part of history of modern physics), research on "history of physics" case teaching, research on the theory and practice of using the history of science to strengthen college students' humanity quality, research on the innovation ways of Nobel Prize for Physics winners, the development of science and technology during the westernization movement.

Theory of course and teaching (physics)

This specialty was authorized to award master's degree in 1982, and currently has two research directions: college physics and middle school physics. The courses opened under the specialty include the basic degree courses such as college physics studies (I), (II) and (III), and specialty degree courses like theory of physics teaching, physics learning psychology, and experimental studies of fundamental physics. Among the tutors, there are 3 professors and 2 associate professors, which have assumed a good many scientific research projects of all levels from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, National Natural Science Fund, the State Commission of Education, and Beijing municipality. Through the 20 years, the department has helped nearly 50 students in this specialty obtain the degree of Master of Education. Except those who continue study abroad, all of them are working separately in the institutions directly under the State Commission of Education, Beijing Municipal Academy of Education, Beijing Institute of Education, and other colleges and universities through out the country. During the practice of cultivation, we have accumulated enriched teaching experiences and materials, and most of the teaching materials used for specialty degree courses are monographs or textbooks written and published by the tutors in the specialty.