Qian Sanqiang (October 16, 1913 – June 28, 1992), formerly known as Qian Bingqiong, was a famous nuclear physicist in China and known as the "father of China's atomic bomb". He has played an important role in the creation and development of China's atomic energy science and is one of the recipients of China's "Two Bombs and One Satellite" Meritorious Service Medal.
Qian Sanqiang was born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and lived in Beijing with his father as a teenager, and studied at Confucius High School. In 1932, he was admitted to the Department of Physics of Tsinghua University, and later went to the Institute of Radium Studies of the University of Paris, France, to pursue graduate studies under the guidance of the Joliot-Curies. During his time in France, Qian Sanqiang made remarkable scientific achievements, including the discovery of the triple and quadruple fission of uranium nuclei, and won the Henri Deba Prize in Microphysics of the French Academy of Sciences.
In 1948, Qian Sanqiang and his wife decided to return to China, gave up their superior conditions in France, and devoted themselves to the construction of atomic energy science in New China with the belief of saving the country through science. After returning to China, he served as a professor in the Department of Physics of Tsinghua University, and participated in the establishment of the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (later renamed the Institute of Atomic Energy), serving as deputy director and director. Qian Sanqiang also participated in the preparation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1954.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Qian Sanqiang was one of the leaders of China's atomic energy industry, responsible for formulating the atomic energy development plan, and led the construction of China's first heavy-water atomic reactor and the first cyclotron in 1956. After the withdrawal of Soviet experts in 1959, he organized scientific researchers to overcome a series of scientific research difficulties and made significant contributions to China's nuclear weapons development.
Qian Sanqiang not only has outstanding achievements in scientific research, but also has outstanding performance in talent training and team building. He attached great importance to the selection and use of qualified personnel, and recommended and mobilized a large number of scientific and technological personnel to participate in nuclear scientific research, thus laying a solid foundation for China's scientific and technological development.
On June 28, 1992, Qian Sanqiang died of illness at the age of 79. In recognition of his tremendous contributions, on the eve of the 50 th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission posthumously awarded him the "Two Bombs and One Star Meritorious Service Medal." Qian Sanqiang's life is a model of infinite loyalty and dedication to the cause of science, and his spirit and achievements have inspired later scientific and technological workers.
The establishment and development of the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is an important chapter in the history of China's scientific and technological development. The predecessor of the institute was the "Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences", which was established on May 19, 1950, when Wu Youxun served as the director and Qian Sanqiang served as the deputy director, and the site was located at No. 42, Genjia, Donghuangcheng, Beijing. On October 6, 1953, the Council decided to change its name to "Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences". On July 1, 1958, the institute was renamed again, this time named the "Institute of Atomic Energy", and set up a first department in the Institute of Physics (Zhongguancun), and a new research base was established in Fangshantuoli on the outskirts of Beijing as the second department.
During this period, the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, later known as the Institute of Atomic Energy, played a key role in China's atomic energy scientific research and high-energy physics research. Under the leadership of Yang Chengzhong, China's first atmospheric 700 kV proton electrostatic accelerator was successfully built in 1955, which was an important breakthrough in China's nuclear physics experimental equipment. In addition, the first batch of scintillation detectors and nuclear electronics instruments for nuclear physics experiments in China have been successfully developed, laying the foundation for subsequent scientific research.
In 1957, Yang Chengzhong was ordered to lead a group of young people to Lanzhou and founded the Lanzhou Physics Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which was the starting point of China's nuclear physics rear research base. Under extremely difficult conditions, Yang Chengzhong led the team to improve and reinstall and debug the 400kV high-voltage multiplier relocated from Beijing in Lanzhou, which provided conditions for the fast neutron physics and light nuclear reactions carried out by the Institute of Modern Physics in the early days and the important national defense scientific research tasks later.
With the passage of time, the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (later renamed the Institute of Atomic Energy) has continued to expand and develop, and has become an important research base in the fields of nuclear physics, high-energy physics, and heavy ion physics in China, cultivating a large number of scientific and technological talents, and achieving a series of scientific research achievements, making important contributions to China's scientific and technological progress and national development.
China's first atmospheric 700 kV proton electrostatic accelerator is an important milestone in China's nuclear physics research, and its completion marks a solid first step in this field. During the construction of this accelerator, Mr. Yang Chengzhong and Mr. Zhao Zhongyao played a key role.
In New China
In the early days of its establishment, due to the blockade imposed by Western countries on China, there was basically a blank in the field of atomic energy science in China, and there was a lack of necessary research equipment. In this context, in 1955, Yang Chengzhong and Zhao Zhongyao jointly led and successfully built this proton electrostatic accelerator. The completion of this accelerator has not only provided an important experimental means for China's nuclear physics experimental research, but also trained a large number of nuclear physics scientific and technological talents.
In 1957, Mr. Yang Chengzhong was appointed to Lanzhou and founded the Lanzhou Physics Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the predecessor of the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In Lanzhou, Mr. Yang Chengzhong and his team overcame various difficulties to successfully improve and reinstall the 400 kV high-voltage multiplier relocated from Beijing, which was put into operation in 1959, providing important conditions for subsequent nuclear physics research.
The construction of this proton electrostatic accelerator, as well as Mr. Yang Chengzhong's contribution to nuclear physics research and personnel training, have a far-reaching impact on the development of China's atomic energy science. Mr. Yang Chengzhong's scientific research spirit and selfless dedication to the interests of the country still inspire later researchers to continue to explore and move forward.
The completion of China's first heavy-water atomic reactor and the first cyclotron is an important milestone in China's atomic energy science undertaking. The completion of these two facilities marks that China has entered a new era of atomic energy scientific research and application, and has laid a solid foundation for the country's nuclear science and technology development.
1. **Heavy Water Atomic Reactor**: In June 1958, China's first heavy water atomic reactor was built in Beijing. The completion of this reactor is an important achievement in China's atomic energy scientific research, which not only contributed to the successful development of the mainland's atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb, but also played an important role in the manufacture of nuclear submarines, the irradiation production of radionuclides, basic and applied basic research, and the training of scientific and technological personnel.
2. Cyclotron: Also in 1958, China's first cyclotron was put into operation. The completion of this accelerator has further promoted China's scientific research in the field of atomic energy, and provided an important platform for subsequent nuclear physics research and talent training.
As one of the founders of China's atomic energy science industry, Qian Sanqiang played a key role in this historical process. In 1955, after the central government decided to develop its own nuclear forces, Qian Sanqiang became the formulator of the atomic energy development plan, and in 1956, he led the construction of China's first heavy water atomic reactor and the first cyclotron. These achievements have not only enhanced China's national defense strength, but also made great contributions to the country's scientific and technological progress and economic development.
In addition, the China Institute of Atomic Energy started from scratch during this period and developed eight disciplines such as nuclear physics and isotope technology, laying a solid foundation for mainland nuclear research and illuminating the Chinese's dream of becoming a strong country "never controlled by others".