Guglielmo Marconi, CNR president, with Vasco Ronchi, INO founder
The current National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO) was born on February 1, 2010 from the aggregation of the National Institute of Applied Optics (INOA), with its sections in Florence, Naples and Lecce, of a part of the Institute for Physical-Chemical Processes (IPCF) in Pisa, and of the Centre on Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in Trento, with its branch at LENS in Sesto Fiorentino. On September 29, 2013 the Sensor Lab (ex-INFM) in Brescia was also included. This integration has resulted in a broad representativeness of the most significant and modern areas of Optics.
1927-1945INOA
In 1927, the Laboratory of Optics and Precision Mechanics, founded in 1918, became the Royal National Institute Of Optics (RINDO) under the leadership of Vasco Ronchi. The Institute aims at designing and testing optical devices and to train specialized technical personnel, especially for the military.1946-1974
After the end of World War II optical devices were replaced in many areas by electronic sources, more controllable and easy to handle than the traditional optical sources inherently limited in terms of spectral coherence and output power. In 1946 the name changed to National Institute Of Optics (INDO), still directed by Prof. Vasco Ronchi.1975-1999
The discovery and development of lasers and opto-electronic devices returned to Optics the prominent role of the early decades of the century. The Institute is restored, since 1975, to meet new scientific challenges. It changed its name to National Institute of Optics (INO); for this long period is directed by Prof. F.Tito Arecchi, at the beginning as Commissioner and then as President. During these two decades INO reaches peaks of excellence in many areas, including Quantum Optics, Optical Metrology, Optoelectronics.2000-2009
In 2000 the Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research (MURST) changes the name of the Institute from INO to National Institute of Applied Optics (INOA) to emphasize the relevance of the applied research in the field of Optics. With the law 127/2003 (known as Moratti reform) the National Research Council (CNR) changed its organization; this led to a progressive merging of INOA in CNR which ended 1/6/2005 with the transformation of INOA from an autonomous Research Institution to a Responsibility Centre of level I of the CNR. Also in this decade the fundamental contribution of INO to the progress of Optics and the related technologies collocated the Institute as a center of excellence nationally and internationally recognized.2010
By resolution of the Board of the National Research Council (CNR); is established the National Institute of Optics INO - CNR that besides the previous INOA includes the staff of the Center BEC of Trento (ex-INFM) and part of Pisa staff IPCF - CNR. Three new Organization Units of Support (UOS) are then formed, precisely based in Trento, Pisa and Sesto Fiorentino, the latter at LENS. Thanks to a new CNR resolution, the Constitution Act of INO has been modified to include the new UOS of Brescia, which includes the staff and equipment of Sensor Lab (ex-INFM). From October 10, 2011, INO is recognized as training organization by the Tuscany Region.