Scientific news

Alain Aspect, Nobel Prize in Physics 2022

The CNRS physicist Alain Aspect has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2022, along with his colleagues John Francis Clauser and Anton Zeilinger, for their pioneering research on quantum entanglement, which paved the way for quantum technology.

Alain Aspect

Alain Aspect

© Jérome Chatin / CNRS Photothèque - 2005

Alain Aspect is Research Director Emeritus at the CNRS, Professor at the Institut d’optique Graduate School / Paris-Saclay University, affiliated professor with honours at ENS Paris-Saclay and associate professor at the Ecole polytechnique. He works at the Charles Fabry Laboratory (Paris-Saclay University, Institut d’optique Graduate School / CNRS).

On the occasion of this Nobel Prize, discover our films and portraits of Alain Aspect and of French physicists close to his discipline: Serge Haroche (Nobel Prize in Physics 2012 and CNRS Gold Medal in 2009) and Jean Dalibard (CNRS Gold Medal in 2021).

Read the article from CNRS News

Photo Royal Society (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Read the CNRS press release

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005.

The physicist Alain Aspect, a director at the Laboratory Charles Fabry, within the Institute of Optics located in Orsay, has received the CNRS Gold medal in 2005 for his works on quantum optics and atomic physics. In this film, he recounts his career and describes his researches. He proved the non-validity of the Bell ' s theorem.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005.

In this report, scientists introduce 2019 CNRS Gold Medalist, Thomas Ebbesen and his research. This prestigious French scientific award is awarded to the Franco-Norwegian physical chemist for his highly interdisciplinary work in nanoscience, which covers fields as diverse as carbon materials science, optics, nanophotonics and molecular chemistry. His discoveries have led to technological breakthroughs in optoelectronics, optical communications and biosensors.

The IFRAF gathers six laboratories specialized in the cold atoms manipulation. Since 1984, this physics domain has considerably developed and its applications have increased. This DVD contains two films which explain, in an entertaining way, what are the cold atoms and present one application: the atomic clock.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005. Ici à l'Académie des Sciences.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005. Ici devant l' Académie des Sciences.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005. Ici devant l' Académie des Sciences.

Alain ASPECT, médaille d'or du CNRS en 2005. Ici au laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique (LCFIO).

Only available for non-commercial distribution

As a passionate researcher and teacher, Jean Dalibard has never stopped playing with light and matter, which for him, are "the fundamentals of the physical world". He contributed to the emergence and influence of a new discipline, cold atoms. Throughout his career, including thirty years at the CNRS, this eminent researcher has distinguished himself by the originality of his approach. His theory and experiments are at the heart of atomic physics and radiation research. …

French physicist Serge Haroche has been awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with US physicist David J. Wineland. The prize rewards their work on quantum optics and "groundbreaking experimental methods" for measuring and manipulating individual quantum systems. Serge Haroche is the recipient of the 2009 CNRS Gold Medal, the highest French scientific award. He is a specialist in atomic physics and quantum optics. He is one of the founders of cavity quantum electrodynamics, a field…

French physicist Serge Haroche has been awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with US physicist David J. Wineland. The prize rewards their work on quantum optics and "groundbreaking experimental methods" for measuring and manipulating individual quantum systems. Serge Haroche is the recipient of the 2009 CNRS Gold Medal, the highest French scientific award. He is a specialist in atomic physics and quantum optics. He is one of the founders of cavity quantum electrodynamics, a field…

Jean Dalibard, physicien lauréat de la médaille d'or du CNRS 2021, au Laboratoire Kastler-Brossel (LKB) à Paris. Distingué pour ses travaux pionniers en physique de la matière quantique ultra-froide, Jean Dalibard a développé au sein du LKB (CNRS/ENS-PSL/Sorbonne Université/Collège de France) un parcours unique d’expérimentateur et de théoricien. Académicien des sciences et professeur au Collège de France, ses recherches se situent au cœur de la physique des atomes et du rayonnement. Il est…

Jean Dalibard, physicien lauréat de la médaille d'or du CNRS 2021, au Laboratoire Kastler-Brossel (LKB) à Paris. Distingué pour ses travaux pionniers en physique de la matière quantique ultra-froide, Jean Dalibard a développé au sein du LKB (CNRS/ENS-PSL/Sorbonne Université/Collège de France) un parcours unique d’expérimentateur et de théoricien. Académicien des sciences et professeur au Collège de France, ses recherches se situent au cœur de la physique des atomes et du rayonnement. Il est…

Film for consultation only

This film derives from the Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies DVD. Physicist Etienne Klein traces the history of quantum physics and shows how it gradually forced scientists to question seemingly established notions in classical physics. In particular, classical physics distinguishes two clearly separated categories of objects: particles and waves, whereas a quantum object may behave alternatively as a wave or as a particle. One of the controversial theoretical consequences of quantum…

CNRS Images,

Our work is guided by the way scientists question the world around them and we translate their research into images to help people to understand the world better and to awaken their curiosity and wonderment.