(Hero image: Ill. Niklas Elmehed © Nobel Prize Outreach)

The Nobel Prize in Physics for 2023 has been jointly awarded to three scientists: Pierre Agostini from Ohio State University, Ferenc Krausz from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, and Anne L’Huillier from Lund University. They have been recognized for their groundbreaking experiments that have enabled the generation of attosecond pulses of light, leading to a better understanding of electron dynamics in matter.

The laureates’ work has allowed scientists to investigate extremely rapid processes involving electrons inside atoms and molecules, which were previously impossible to observe. These attosecond pulses are incredibly short, with an attosecond being a billionth of a billionth of a second, making it possible to capture fleeting electron movements.

Anne L’Huillier’s early discovery in 1987 laid the foundation for the subsequent breakthroughs. Pierre Agostini and Ferenc Krausz independently developed methods to produce attosecond pulses of light in 2001, with Agostini achieving consecutive pulses lasting 250 attoseconds, while Krausz isolated a single attosecond pulse lasting 650 attoseconds.

These advances in attosecond physics have opened up new possibilities for understanding electron behavior in various fields, including electronics and medical diagnostics. The ability to track and manipulate electrons at such short timescales has the potential for significant applications in materials science and beyond.

The Nobel Committee for Physics believes that these discoveries have ushered in a new era of scientific exploration, allowing researchers to delve deeper into the world of electrons and gain insights into previously hidden mechanisms. The laureates’ work marks a significant milestone in our ability to observe and control the fundamental building blocks of matter at the most minuscule timescales imaginable.

References

• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. (2023, October 3). The Nobel Prize in Physics 2023. NobelPrize.Org; Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2023. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2023/press-release/