Enar Franco Rodríguez
Researcher at the Optics Department of the Complutense University of Madrid
The Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L'Huillier is a well-deserved recognition for their pioneering work in the generation of extremely short pulses of light, known as attoseconds. These scientists have revolutionised our understanding of how electrons move in matter, allowing us to 'photograph' the dynamics of electrons in action.
Imagine being able to capture in slow motion the flight of an insect. Similarly, these laureates have developed technology that allows us to observe how electrons behave on incredibly small timescales, on the order of attoseconds, which are a billion times shorter than a second. This is essential for understanding fundamental processes in chemistry, physics and materials, and could have revolutionary applications in areas such as quantum electronics and nanotechnology. In short, their work has given us a new window to explore the subatomic world and promises significant advances in science and technology in the future.