Nobel laureate Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, pioneer of laser cooling, passes away at 93
Physicist Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, 93, known for groundbreaking work in laser cooling and atom manipulation, has died.
Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, the distinguished French physicist celebrated for mastering the manipulation of atoms with light and extreme cold, has died at 93. His Nobel Prize in Physics, shared in 1997 with Steven Chu and William D. Phillips, recognized his pioneering techniques that trap atoms using laser beams and bring temperatures close to absolute zero. At the École normale supérieure, he led the Kastler-Brossel laboratory, guiding a small group of researchers whose work was closely followed by leading scientists worldwide.
His earlier accolades include a CNRS silver medal in 1964 and a gold medal in 1996, reflecting his long-standing impact on the discipline. Colleagues and former students, notably Serge Haroche, lauded his extraordinary creativity and the way he illuminated scientific understanding. His death marks the loss of a seminal figure in modern physics.
Why it matters
His innovations transformed atomic physics, enabling technologies from precision clocks to quantum research.
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