3 scientists win physics Nobel for laser breakthroughs

The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to three scientists for their inventions in laser physics.

Arthur Ashkin, from the US, Gerard Mourou, from France, and Donna Strickland, from Canada, will share the nine million kronor (£770,686) prize.

Dr Ashkin developed a laser technique described as optical tweezers, which is used to study biological systems.

Drs Mourou and Strickland developed a way of generating high intensity and very short laser pulses.

Donna Strickland is only the third female physics laureate and the first woman in 55 years to win the prize. Source: BBC