Physicists peeked... into the private life of electrons

Nobel Prize in Physics 2023

Abstract

This year the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three researchers: Pierre Agostini from Ohio State University (USA), Ferenc Krausz from Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany), and Anne L’Huillier from Lund University (Sweden) "for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter”. The laureates conducted fundamental physical experiments aimed at obtaining extremely short laser pulses, which led to the emergence of a new scientific field — attosecond physics, the purpose of which is the study and development of methods for measuring and controlling the rapid electronic dynamics phenomena in the atoms of matter. On the other hand, a more technical experimental problem related to the generation of separate high-energy attosecond laser pulses, suitable for further use as sources of ultrafast pumping of the studied samples, remains relevant.