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05.10.2023
THEME: WORLD

Attosecond Physics Revolution: Nobel Laureates Illuminate the Invisible World of Electrons

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz, and Anne L’Huillier for their pioneering work in attosecond physics, a field that has revolutionized our understanding of the microcosm. Their innovative technique, involving precision lasers to observe the rapid movements of electrons, has provided a new lens through which we can view our universe.

The scale at which these laureates operate is incredibly minute, dealing with attoseconds, an extraordinarily short unit of time. To comprehend this scale, consider that there are as many attoseconds in one second as there have been seconds since the universe's inception.

The laureates' technique involves generating ultra-short bursts of light with precision lasers. This has enabled scientists to measure rapid electron processes that were previously unobservable, appearing as mere blurs under even the most sophisticated microscopes.

Anne L’Huillier, a professor at Lund University in Sweden, discovered a new effect from a laser light’s interaction with atoms in a gas. This discovery was further developed by Pierre Agostini, a professor at Ohio State University, and Ferenc Krausz, a professor at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Germany, who demonstrated that this effect could be used to create even shorter light pulses.

According to the Nobel committee, their experiments have allowed scientists to "capture the shortest of moments," akin to a strobe light imaging rapid movements. Although the technique doesn't permit direct observation of electrons, it enables scientists to measure various attributes of these subatomic particles.

The implications of their work are profound, with potential applications ranging from enhancing our understanding of electrons, crucial to electronics, to developing imaging tools for the semiconductor industry, and even improving medical diagnostics.

Michael Moloney, the chief executive of the American Institute of Physics, lauded this breakthrough as a "transformative moment in physics and in science," and emphasized that it has "opened up a whole new window on our universe."

The laureates' work has not only advanced our understanding of the microcosm but also made history. L’Huillier's win is particularly notable as she is only the fifth woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics since the awards were instituted in 1901.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which announced the award on 3 October 2023, emphasized that the laureates' experiments resulted in "pulses of light so short that they are measured in attoseconds." This breakthrough in "attosecond physics" is anticipated to lead to more precise electron microscopes, faster electronics, and new early disease diagnosis tests.

The laureates will share the prize money of 11m Swedish krona (£824,000), a modest recognition for the monumental impact their work has had and will continue to have on our comprehension of the universe.

In essence, the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics underscores the power of scientific inquiry and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. As we continue to explore the realm of attoseconds, we edge closer to unraveling the mysteries of the microcosm, and who knows what other secrets of the universe we might uncover?

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05.10.2023
THEME: WORLD

Pioneers of the Nanoworld: The Nobel Triumph of Three Nanotechnology Scientists

On October 4, 2023, the scientific community celebrated as Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei I. Ekimov were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized these three scientists for their revolutionary work in nanotechnology, specifically for their discovery and synthesis of quantum dots.

Quantum dots, nanoparticles whose properties are dictated by their size, were first synthesized in the 1980s by Alexei Ekimov. He utilized copper chloride nanoparticles within colored glass, marking the inception of a new era in nanotechnology. Louis Brus advanced this research by demonstrating size-dependent quantum effects in particles suspended in fluid. The synthesis of quantum dots was further refined in 1993 by Moungi Bawendi, who improved their chemical production, resulting in nearly flawless particles.

The unique characteristic of quantum dots is their color emission, which varies depending on their size. This has led to numerous applications, including use in QLED technology for computer monitors and television screens, LED lamps, and even in medical diagnostics to differentiate between healthy and diseased tissue during tumor removal.

The laureates' work has paved the way for a multitude of potential future applications such as flexible electronics, miniaturized sensors, slimmer solar cells, and encrypted quantum communication. Despite an early leak of the laureates' names by the Swedish Academy of Sciences, the award, amounting to 11 million Swedish kronor (£824,000), was unaffected. The laureates, all based in the US, were celebrated as “pioneers in the exploration of the nanoworld” by the Nobel committee for chemistry. The president of the American Chemical Society, Judith Giordan, also commended the laureates for transitioning their work from theory to practical application.

The laureates' diverse backgrounds further underline the global impact of their work. Bawendi, a Paris-born professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brus, a Cleveland-born professor at Columbia University, and Ekimov, a former Chief Scientist at Nanocrystals Technology Inc. born in the former USSR, have all made substantial contributions to nanotechnology.

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry thus stands as a testament to the power of scientific discovery and the limitless potential of nanotechnology. Prof Gill Reid, the president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, encapsulated this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives and teamwork in scientific advancements. As our world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, the work of these laureates underscores the infinite possibilities that lie within the exploration of the infinitesimal.

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