Nobel Prize in Physics 2018
© Arthur Ashkin
Arthur Ashkin
Prize share: 1/2
© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: A. Mahmoud
Gérard Mourou
Prize share: 1/4
© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: A. Mahmoud
Donna Strickland
Prize share: 1/4
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 was awarded "for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics" with one half to Arthur Ashkin "for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems", the other half jointly to Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland "for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses"
Nobel Prizes and laureates
In 2018, 12 new laureates were awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.
Their work and discoveries range from cancer therapy and laser physics to developing proteins that can solve humankind’s chemical problems. The work of the 2018 Nobel Laureates also included combating war crimes, as well as integrating innovation and climate with economic growth. Find out more.
Streams during Nobel Week
Watch the 2025 Nobel Prize lectures, Nobel Week Dialogue, the prize award ceremonies in Oslo and Stockholm and Nobel Peace Prize Forum here at nobelprize.org.
