Department of Physics (originally named "the Department of Technical Physics") was one of the departments that were set up in 1958 when USTC was founded. The first chairman of the department was Professor SHI Ruwei,who was an academician of Chinese Academy of Science(CAS), the director of the Institute of Physics. Many famous physicists worked and taught in department of physics, such as MA Dayou, YAN Jici, QIAN Linzhao, ZENG Zepei, WANG Shoujue, ZHANG Zong, Li Yinyuan, ZHANG Zongsui,they made the foundation of this department. In 1964, combined with departments of biophysics, geophysics and fundamental physics, the name of the department was to the present one.
　　After the university regulated changed the departments, some physics majors were maintained in our department, such as Semiconductor Physics and Devices, Low Temperature Physics,Magnetism, Solid State Luminescence, Optics etc.

　　There are currently three undergraduate majors: physics, applied physics, Optical Information Science & Technology. The department grants four Ph.D.s: Condensed Matter, Optics,Microelectronics and Physical electronics. The Department is a national base for training researchers for science, and key base of CAS for training doctor.

　　Now there are 78 Faculty and staffs in the department, including 22 professors (among whom there are 1 academician and 15 Ph. D advisers), 29 associate professors (and senior engineers). They give a series of basic and professional courses of physics to undergraduate and graduate students.
　　The physics department has cultured more than 3800 advanced specialists for forty years. These graduate students are distributed all over the country, and they are the main force in their positions. These included Zhao Zhongxian, the academician of the CAS and the Third World Academy of Sciences, Wang Zhenxi Chen Liquan、 Xu Zhuyan, the academicians of the Chinese Engineer Academy of Sciences, and many famous enterprisers and principals of the government. Now,there are more than 348 undergraduate students, 392 graduate students for Ms and 89 doctorate students.

　　At present, there are some scientific research institute, such as : Quantum Communication Key Lab of CAS, The Key Laboratory on Optoelectronics of Anhui Province, Institute of Superconductor,Institute of Photonics, Institute of HighPower Laser Technology, Lab of Micro-electronics, Lab of Biology Laser, etc. Since 1996 physics department has undertaken research work of National KeyBasic Research Projects, Key Projects of National Natural Science Foundationof China, National "863" High Technology Projects, CAS Innovation Key Projects, and projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China. ProfessorGuo Guangcan assumes the chief scientist of National Key Basic Projects(973). From 1996 till now, we have achieved more than 20 research productions, 11 scientific research awards in province and ministry level. More than 1000 science papers were published, among which more than 500 were embodied by SCI and EI.