Deng Jiaxian (1924-1986) was born in Huaining, Anhui, a famous nuclear physicist and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Deng Jiaxian’s grandfather was a famous calligrapher and seal carver in the Qing Dynasty, and his father was a famous esthetician and art historian. After the July 7th Incident, the family stayed in Beijing. 16-year-old Deng Jiaxian followed his sister to Jiangjin, Sichuan, to finish high school. From 1941 to 1945, he studied in the Department of Physics of Southwest Associated University, where he studied under famous professors such as Wang Zhuxi and Zheng Huachi. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in 1945, Deng Jiaxian taught in the Department of Physics of Peking University.
In October 1948, Deng Jiaxian went to the Department of Physics of Purdue University in Indiana, USA, to study for graduate school, and received a doctorate in physics in 1950. On the 9th day after receiving his degree, he boarded the ship returning to China. After returning to China, Deng Jiaxian worked as an assistant researcher at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, engaged in research on atomic nuclear theory. In August 1958, he was transferred to the newly established Institute of Nuclear Weapons as director of the theory department, responsible for leading the theoretical design of nuclear weapons. He later served as deputy director and director of the institute, deputy director and director of the Ninth Research and Design Institute of the Ministry of Nuclear Industry, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Committee of the Ministry of Nuclear Industry and Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Committee of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Deng Jiaxian is the main organizer and leader of China's nuclear weapons research and development, and is known as the "two bombs hero." In the research of atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs, Deng Jiaxian led the basic theoretical research on detonation physics, fluid mechanics, equation of state, neutron transport, etc., completed the theoretical scheme of the atomic bomb, and participated in guiding the detonation simulation tests of nuclear tests. After the atomic bomb test was successful, Deng Jiaxian organized forces to explore the design principles of the hydrogen bomb and selected technical approaches. He led and personally participated in the development and experimental work of China's first hydrogen bomb in 1967.
The "Summary of Theoretical Research on my country's First Atomic Bomb" co-written by Deng Jiaxian and Zhou Guangzhao is a groundbreaking basic work on the theoretical design of nuclear weapons. It summarizes the research results of hundreds of scientists. This work not only It plays a guiding role in future theoretical design, and is also a textbook for training scientific researchers. Deng Jiaxian also made important contributions to the study of high-temperature and high-pressure equations of state. In order to train young scientific researchers, he also wrote many lecture notes on electrodynamics, plasma physics, spherical concentrated detonation wave theory, etc. Even after taking on the important role of dean, he still started writing "Quantum Field Theory" in his spare time. and "group theory."
Deng Jiaxian is an outstanding representative of Chinese intellectuals. For the prosperity of the motherland and the development of national defense scientific research, he was willing to be an unknown hero and worked in obscurity for decades. He often appears in the most dangerous positions at critical moments, regardless of personal safety, which fully reflects his noble and selfless dedication. He made outstanding contributions to the development of China's nuclear weapons, but few people knew about him. It was not until his death that people learned about his deeds.
He is mainly engaged in research in nuclear physics, theoretical physics, neutron physics, plasma physics, statistical physics and fluid mechanics and has made outstanding achievements. Since 1958, he has organized and led the basic theoretical research on detonation physics, fluid mechanics, equation of state, neutron transport, etc., and conducted a large number of simulation calculations and analyzes on the physical processes of atomic bombs, thereby taking the first step in China's independent research and design of nuclear weapons. In the first step, he led the completion of the theoretical plan for China's first atomic bomb and participated in guiding the detonation simulation test before the nuclear test. After the atomic bomb test was successful, he immediately organized forces to explore the design principles of hydrogen bombs and selected technical approaches. He organized, led and personally participated in the development and testing of China's first hydrogen bomb in 1967. In 1979, Deng Jiaxian served as director of the Nuclear Weapons Research Institute. In 1984, he directed the successful test of China's second-generation new nuclear weapons deep in the desert. The following year, his cancer spread beyond repair, and his request on National Day was to see Tiananmen Square. On July 16, 1986, Li Peng, then Vice Premier of the State Council, went to the hospital to award him the National May Day Labor Medal. On July 29, 1986, Deng Jiaxian died of massive hemorrhage. In 1999, he was posthumously awarded the "Two Bombs and One Star" Meritorious Service Medal.