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Prof. Bloembergen at ICFO’s celebration of 50 years of NLO (2012)
Prof. Bloembergen at ICFO’s celebration of 50 years of NLO (2012)

Nicolaas Bloembergen (1920-2017)

ICFO honors the father of Nonlinear Optics

September 15, 2017
Nicolaas Bloembergen, 1981 Nobel Laureate in Physics, popularly known as the father of Nonlinear Optics for his 1962 seminal paper entitled “Interactions between Light Waves in a Nonlinear Dielectric”, passed away last week at the age of 97. ICFO celebrates the life and impact of this great scientist whose work continues to have a significant influence on much of the research conducted at our institute today.

The discovery, understanding and manipulation of nonlinear optical phenomena have led to numerous scientific and technological advances, not only in photonics, but also in the broader fields of knowledge in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. Many areas of research and innovation, from laser technology to high-intensity physics, photochemistry, frequency metrology, and quantum information science have been made possible through the exploitation of nonlinear optical effects.

Prof Bloembergen’s life work has truly helped to usher in a new era in science and technology that has made a positive impact on the world.