The 'Nobel Prize' of the Laser Field Revealed

In September 2021,David Payne was awarded the Berthold Leibinger Future Prize for his groundbreaking research in the field of optical fibers. David Payne is renowned for his creative research in the field of optical fibers, specifically the invention of the Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), which earned him the recognition and the Berthold Leibinger Future Prize. The Berthold Leibinger Prize consists of the Innovation Award and the Future Prize. The Berthold Leibinger Innovation Award is held every two years, primarily encouraging innovation in laser technology, while the Berthold Leibinger Future Prize recognizes significant milestones in laser research. Driven by market and technological advancements, the research and applications of laser technology are becoming increasingly important. However, the general public still largely remains unaware of the significance of this technology. Laser technology plays a crucial role in various fields such as microprocessing, additive manufacturing, quantum computing, high-speed data transmission, precision measurement, and photon-based diagnostics. Additionally, lasers have evolved to become both compact chip-scale emitters, such as quantum dot lasers in sensor applications, and large-scale research systems with the highest energy density ever achieved in human history.