The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018

Ill. Niklas Elmehed. © Nobel Media

Prize share: 1/2

Ill. Niklas Elmehed. © Nobel Media

Prize share: 1/4

Ill. Niklas Elmehed. © Nobel Media

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."

To cite this section
MLA style: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2018. Sat. 15 Dec 2018. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2018/summary/>

Back to top Back To Top Takes users back to the top of the page

Learn more

Nobel Prizes 2018

This year 12 new laureates have been 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.
Nobel prizes burgundy 2018

Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.