Professor Toshiki Tajima went back to California (US) after he has stayed at the Munich-Centre for Advanced Laser Science (MAP) for the last three years. Since 2008 Tajima serves as chairman of ICUIL (International Committee on Ultra-High Intensity Lasers), which combines the international efforts on the next generation of ultra-high intensity laser science, technology and education. „Our team wants to stimulate, strengthen and expand ultraintense laser science and related technologies world-wide”, explains Tajima. He is regarded as the founder of the laser particle acceleration. The United States and Japan have been important stages in his career. Tajima will remain guest professor at LMU. He promised to visit Munich as often as he can to see the planted joint work to flourish. “Europe in general and Germany in particular are very committed and advanced in the intense laser research I am interested in”, he says. “I have been fortunate to join German and European laser research activities over the last few years partaking in ELI, ultrafast and ultraintense laser work.” The LAP-Team and the Munich Centre for Advanced Photonics wish him all the best for the future and further collaboration to come.

For his pioneering work in the field of Attosecond Physics, the General Assembly of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow) has elected Professor Ferenc Krausz, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching and Chair of Experimental Physics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU Munich), as a foreign member. Founded in 1724 under Tsar Peter the Great in St. Petersburg, the academy is now the most important research organization of the Russian Federation. Since its founding the academy has given this distinction to very outstanding scientists, in recent times for example to Professor Wolfgang Ketterle (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, USA) and Professor Ahmed Zewail (California Institute of Technology, Santa Barbara, USA). “I feel very honoured by this distinction and regard it as a mission to further strengthen the very fruitful scientific cooperation between our countries”, Professor Krausz comments.

Deep inside matter, our idea of time lose its validity. Light flashes which last only a few millionths to billionths of a billionth second snatch from the microcosm its closely guarded secrets: Electron movements become visible. Quantum phenomena can be examined in real time. The control of elementary particles comes within reach. Responsible for all that is the young science of attosecond physics, "born" in 2001.

An international team of scientists successfully concentrated the energy of infrared laser pulses using a nano funnel enabling them to generate extreme ultraviolet light pulses, which repeated 75 million times per second. (Nature Photonics: 16 October 2011)

Physicists of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have generated for the first time “white” light pulses and they are able to control their field on a time scale shorter than an optical oscillation. These new tools hold promise for unprecedented control of the motion of electrons in the microcosm.

Karl Schmid changed sides: In the LAP team he developed laser technologies, at TRUMPF, a machine manufacturer and laser technology specialist, in Ditzingen, near Stuttgart, he works as the assistant to the executive management. In this interview he describes his initial time at TRUMPF and the challenges he had to cope with when working as an experimental physicist in the economic sector.

Professor Matthias Kling, leader of the “Attosecond Imaging” Research Group at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, Garching (near Munich), has received this year’s Röntgen Prize from the Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, Germany, in recognition of his contributions to the development of “attosecond nanophotonics”. This award, sponsored by several private companies from the City of Gießen, is primarily devoted to young scientists who have done excellent work in fundamental radiation physics or fundamental radiation biology.