Anne L’Huillier, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for her pioneering advances in ultrashort light pulses, visited the University of Salamanca at the invitation of the Centro de Investigación en Luz y Materia Estructuradas (LUMES), to preside over the doctoral thesis defense of Rodrigo Martín-Hernández, a member of LUMES and the Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica (ALF) group.
Rodrigo’s thesis, focused on the study of structured light at the attosecond scale, was very well received by the professor. This type of light enables the observation and manipulation of ultrafast phenomena in matter, such as electron motion and magnetic dynamics. “The use of structured light is somewhat complex and I liked it because I learned a lot,” stated Anne, referring to Rodrigo’s work, which is closely related to her own research.
Taking advantage of her stay in Salamanca, the French scientist, currently a professor at Lund University (Sweden), delivered the seminar “The route to attosecond light pulses” in the Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Sciences. In this conference, she presented the latest advances in the generation of attosecond pulses and highlighted their application in metrology for integrated circuits, a key tool for the development of the next generation of computers. L’Huillier explained how these pulses enable the observation of electronic dynamics in matter at unimaginable time scales, opening new possibilities for revolutionary technologies in electronics and quantum computing.
Professor L’Huillier has been collaborating with Salamanca researchers for several years and was overdue to visit their laboratories in person. During her visit, she toured the Laser Laboratory of the ALF-USAL group, where experimental research is conducted on structured light and nonlinear optics—areas complementary to her pioneering work. LUMES, an Excellence Unit funded by the Junta de Castilla y León, thus consolidates its leadership in attoscience and top-tier international collaborations.
Being the fifth woman in history to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics (5% total female representation), L’Huillier uses her visibility to inspire young female researchers: “I have been traveling around the world for two years to motivate the next generation of women in science.” Her presence in Salamanca reinforces LUMES’s commitment to gender equality and scientific excellence.
The event was recorded and is available on the “Centro de Investigación LUMES-USAL” YouTube channel for those who could not attend live.
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