Dr. Anne L'Huillier is a distinguished French-Swedish physicist renowned for her pioneering contributions to ultrafast laser science and atomic physics. She currently holds the position of Professor of Atomic Physics at Lund University in Sweden, where she has led groundbreaking research since joining the institution in 1995 as an associate professor before her promotion to full professor in 1997. Born in Paris in 1958, she earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics from the École Normale Supérieure in 1980 and subsequently obtained graduate degrees in theoretical physics and mathematics from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie. Following her PhD work on multiple multiphoton ionization at the Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, she pursued postdoctoral research at the Chalmers Institute of Technology in Gothenburg and the University of Southern California before establishing herself as a leading figure in the field of attosecond physics.
Her most significant scientific contribution began in 1987 when she first observed high harmonic generation in gases, a phenomenon where atoms exposed to intense laser light emit radiation at multiples of the laser frequency. This discovery laid the foundation for the development of attosecond science, as she recognized the potential to use these extreme ultraviolet pulses to create even shorter light pulses capable of capturing electron motion. In 2003, her research group achieved a world record by generating 170-attosecond laser pulses, effectively creating the world's fastest camera for observing subatomic processes. Her theoretical and experimental work has enabled precise measurement of photo-ionization time delays in various atomic and molecular systems, revolutionizing our understanding of electron dynamics. This body of research was recognized with the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics, which she shared with Pierre Agostini and Ferenc Krausz for developing experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses to study electron dynamics in matter.
Beyond her experimental achievements, Dr. L'Huillier has played a pivotal role in advancing the field through leadership in international collaborations, including coordination of the European ATTO Marie Curie network at the beginning of the millennium. Her research has established the foundation for attochemistry, enabling scientists to observe and potentially control electronic processes during chemical reactions at their natural timescale. She has received numerous prestigious honors including the Max Born Award, the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science, and election as an international member of the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, her work continues to explore fundamental processes of photo-ionization using attosecond pulses, with applications that extend from basic atomic physics to potential technological innovations in materials science and chemistry. As one of the most influential figures in ultrafast science, her legacy continues to inspire a new generation of researchers investigating the previously inaccessible timescales of electron motion.
