From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the initial concepts of Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) technology and the Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplification (OPCPA) technology for ultra-intense and ultra-short laser principles were first proposed internationally.

CAS Member XU Zhizhan's team from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics first developed the "optical synchronization" OPCPA overall scheme, and the world’s first 10 tetawatt (TW) new generation ultra-intense, ultra-short laser experimental facility based on the new OPCPA principle.

Based on self-developed large-aperture Ti:sapphire crystals and CPA technology, the institute undertook construction of the Superintense Ultrafast Laser Facility (SULF, also known as the "Xihe laser facility") which passed overall acceptance in 2020. During the implementation of the project, the world’s first 10 petawatt (PW) ultra-intense, ultra-short laser experimental facility was built, and the 10 PW facility repeatedly broke the world record for the highest peak power laser pulse.