2024

Andrea Alu

For pioneering contributions to linear, nonlinear and nonreciprocal photonic metamaterials

2023

Marin Soljacic

For seminal contributions to the fields of plasmonics, electromagnetism, and topological photonics

2022

Yuri S Kivshar

For pioneering and ground-breaking research in nonlinear metamaterials and all-dielectric resonant metaphotonics that derives unique optical functionalities from electric and magnetic dipolar and multipolar Mie-type resonances underpinning new discoveries in nonlinear and topological nanophotonics.

2021

Anne L'Huillier

For pioneering work in ultrafast laser science and attosecond physics, realizing and understanding high harmonic generation and applying it to time-resolved imaging of electron motion in atoms and molecules.

2020

Nader Engheta

For pioneering contributions to optical metamaterials and nanoscale optics

2019

Govind P Agrawal

For sustained distinguished contributions to physical optics through innovative research on lasers, fiber-optical communications and nonlinear optics

2018

Demetrios N Christodoulides

For founding and continuing to lead the fields of Parity-Time non-Hermitian Optics and Accelerating Waves, and for groundbreaking contributions in multiple areas in Physical Optics

2017

Miles John Padgett

For contributions to optics and especially to optical momentum, including the optical spanner, the use of orbital angular momentum in communication systems, and an angular form of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox

2016

Xiang Zhang

For the experimental realization of major theoretical predictions in the field of metamaterials and graphene optics

2015

John D Joannopoulos

For numerous contributions to nanophotonics, including pioneering the "numerical experiments" approach for nanophotonics

2014

Costas M Soukoulis *

For creative and outstanding theoretical and experimental research in the fields of photonic crystals and left-handed metamaterials, and for novel applications of these materials to manipulate electromagnetic radiation

2013

Yaron Silberberg *

For seminal contributions in nonlinear and quantum optics, among them the first observation of optical discrete solitons, the prediction of spatio-temporal solitons and light bullets, pioneering experiments with temporal shaping of entangled photons and quantum control, and groundbreaking work in nonlinear microscopy

2012

Jean Dalibard

For groundbreaking theoretical work on atom-light interactions, including the elucidation of new laser cooling mechanisms, and for seminal experimental work on the optical manipulation of cold atoms and quantum gasses

2011

Carlton M Caves

For seminal contributions in quantum optics and information theory, including the foundations of quantum noise, the role of entanglement in quantum information processing, and the fundamental limits of quantum measurement

2010

Vladimir M Shalaev

For seminal contributions to both the theoretical framework and the experimental realization of optical metamaterials

2009

Mordechai Segev

For groundbreaking contributions in the field of optical spatial solitons

2008

Peter W Milonni

For exceptional contributions to the fields of theoretical optics, laser physics and quantum mechanics, and for dissemination of scientific knowledge through authorship of a series of outstanding books

2007

Luigi Alberto Lugiato

For pioneering theoretical contributions to the fields of optical bistability and instabilities, optical pattern formation, cavity solitons, squeezing and quantum imaging

2006

Richart E Slusher

For outstanding experimental contributions to quantum optics in squeezed state generation, in microcavity lasers, and in optical pulse propagation through periodic and nonlinear media

2005

Alexander E Kaplan *

For seminal contributions to nonlinear interface and optical bistability effects, hysteretic resonances of a single electron, and physics of sub-femtosecond pulses

2004

David E Pritchard

For creative application of light to new forms of spectroscopy, to manipulation and trapping of atoms, and for pioneering the new fields of atom optics and atom interferometry

2003

Howard J Carmichael

For outstanding theoretical contributions to quantum optics through the understanding of quantum fluctuations, especially in the open systems of resonance fluorescence and cavity QED

2002

John L Hall

For pioneering the field of stable lasers, including their applications in fundamental physics and, most recently, in the stabilization of femtosecond lasers to provide dramatic advances in optical-frequency metrology

2001

Bernard Yurke

For contributions to theoretical and experimental research in basonic and fermionic squeezed states, back-action evading measurements, microwave radiation squeezing, Josephson parametric amplifiers, and the theory of local reality violations

2000

Jagdeep Shah

For his pioneering contributions in the field of optics and optoelectronics of semiconductors and their heterostructures

1999

Alain Aspect

For fundamental contributions to quantum optics, including experiments on the violation of Bell inequalities in atomic radiative cascade, and the manipulation of atoms by laser light

1998

Peter A Zoller

For his outstanding and leading theoretical contributions to quantum optics, especially in the fields of quantum computation, quantum communications and networking, and Bose-Einstein condensation

1997

Boris Ya Zeldovich *

For his seminal contributions to the discovery and theoretical understanding of optical phase conjugation

1996

H. Jeff Kimble

For many original contributions to the field of quantum optics, including the definitive experiments on photon anti-bunching and a quantitative analysis of optical bistability

1995

F. Tito Arecchi, V *

For many contributions to photon statistics of lasers, cooperative atomic radiation effects, and laser instabilities and chaos

1994

Valerian I Tatarskii *

For his outstanding seminal contributions to the theory of wave propagation through random media, particularly optical propagation through atmospheric turbulence, as well as for his fundamental contributions to the fields of statistical and quantum optics

1992

Rodney Loudon *

For seminal and sustained contributions to physical optics, including work on the quantum theory of light and the optical properties of solids

1991

James Gordon *

For his manifold original contributions to physical optics, including masers, the theory of quantum noise in lasers and in optical communications, radiation pressure, ultrafast phenomena, and solitons in optical fibers, and for his fruitful and selfless assistance to so many others

1990

Samuel L McCall *

For his pioneering theoretical and experimental contributions to self-induced transparency and optical bistability

1989

Dietrich Marcuse

For his outstanding contributions in developing the theoretical framework for light propagation in dielectric waveguides, complemented by his textbooks which have significantly impacted the education and training of optical scientists and engineers

1988

Girish S Agarwal

For extensive contributions to the understanding of the interaction of radiation with matter, particularly in the areas of coherence, superflourescence, bistability, and nonlinear surface phenomena

1987

Emil Wolf *

For works that deal with the theory of partial coherence in the space-frequency domain, scattering and inverse scattering, phase conjugation, radiation, and radiometry

1986

Herch Moyses Nussenzveig *

For distinguished and valuable contributions to the theory of Mie scattering and to the theories of the rainbow and the glory

1985

Roy J Glauber *

For contributions to the understanding of coherence and coherent states and the extension of optical methods to an analysis of high energy scattering processes

1984

Adolf W Lohmann *

1983

Joseph W Goodman

1982

Leonard Mandel *