The Department of Physics was established in 1964, with the addition of a Master’s Program in 1974. For the needs of national development in Taiwan, the undergraduate program was divided into a Physics track and Optoelectronic Physics track in 2002 to cultivate professional technicians with a comprehensive physics background. In the same year, the College of Science and Engineering established an Applied Sciences and Engineering graduate program (PhD program) on the basis of the original program. This program features optoelectronics, material physics and computation physics to provide students from Fu Jen and other schools with the opportunity to pursue further education and research.

Since the department was established, Optoelectronic Physics has been the main objective. Thanks to the monetary support from the Divine Word Missionaries, the department had been able to purchase sufficient optoelectronic equipment. Unfortunately, with the departure of Fr. Franz Oster, the program terminated temporarily. After the establishment of the graduate program, the former department chairman Fr. Hao Si-han and Prof. Ling Feng-ren resumed the optoelectronic emphasis. Their endeavors not only integrated departmental resources but also brought in outside experts to build a solid foundation for the program. The program is now forty-one years old and it is one of the earliest physics departments to advocate optoelectronic technology in Taiwan.

The optoelectronic emphasis is clearly illustrated by the research and curriculum design of the department. The undergraduate program includes specialized required courses on basic physics, holistic education on humanities, and other elected courses. The department offers elected courses worthy of approximately 100 credits every semester, 70 percent of which are related to Optoelectronic Physics. With this focus and other training on Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering and Chemistry, the Department of Physics is an optimal environment where students interested in optoelectronic physic can find abundant learning resources to further pursue their studies and research.

There are currently 16 full-time and 8 adjunct professors in the department. Most of the professors specialize in optoelectronics, including nanomaterials, photoelectric components, optic fibers, thin films, optical spectrums and atomic physics. In addition, the research of the professors has delivered outstanding results and cultivated the four strengths of the department – physics computing, biophotonics, optoelectronics, and thin film and materials.

The department has signed a cooperative agreement with Academia Sinica Institute of Physics to offer joint advisement on the theses of graduate students. In addition, the department has also worked on research project and teaching with various institutions, such as KEK, UC Berkley, and University of Bradley. Approximately 75 percent of department graduates continue to pursue further studies either in Taiwan or abroad, and around 25 percent of the graduates have received doctoral degrees. Meanwhile, the other graduates have entered professions ranging from education to business. The department looks forward to cultivating more outstanding professionals.