OSA, DPG Name Peter E. Toschek Winner of Herbert Walther Award

The Optical Society (OSA) and the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG) are proud to announce that the 2015 Herbert Walther Award will be presented to Peter E. Toschek of the Institut für Laser-Physik, Universität Hamburg, Germany for his pioneering experiments to laser cooling and trapping of single ions and for his contributions to the understanding of the principles of laser spectroscopy as well as of atomic physics.

Peter E. Toschek (Photo: Business Wire)

“For the past few decades, Peter Toschek has demonstrated an impressive record of achievements, which have helped to push contemporary optical physics into the 21st century,” said OSA CEO Elizabeth Rogan. “On the behalf of OSA and the entire optics community, I am proud to recognize Peter’s accomplishments with this well-deserved recognition.”

Among his many discoveries, Toschek and associates are most widely known for the elimination of quantum noise in the beat signal of two laser waves and the development of absorption spectroscopy of gases in the resonator of a multi-mode laser, both of which may substantially improve the precision and enhance the sensitivity of interferometric measurements. He founded research teams at the Heidelberg University in 1963 and the Hamburg University in 1981. Toschek received the Wichard Pohl Prize from DPG in 1990 and has been a Member of the Akademie der Wissenschaften in Hamburg since 1994, a Fellow of JILA since 1986/87, and a Fellow of OSA since 2002.

Established in 2007, the Walther Award is named in honor of Professor Herbert Walther for the seminal influence of his ground-breaking innovations in quantum optics and atomic physics, and for his wide-ranging contributions to the international scientific community. The Award is jointly made by DPG and OSA, and it is presented by each society in alternate years.

OSA will present the 2015 Award to Toschek at CLEO/Europe – EQEC in June 2015, in Munich, Germany.

About OSA

Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and entrepreneurs who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. OSA is a founding partner of the National Photonics Initiative and the 2015 International Year of Light. For more information, visit www.osa.org.

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