Ferenc Krausz

Ferenc Krausz is a distinguished Professor of Experimental Physics – Laser Physics at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich) and Director of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ) in Garching. Born in Hungary in 1962, he holds a PhD in laser physics from TU Vienna (1991) and became a full professor at LMU in 1999. His groundbreaking work pioneered attosecond physics, enabling real-time observation of electron dynamics in atoms and solids. Krausz’s research extended to medical applications, notably using attosecond metrology for early cancer detection via molecular fingerprinting of blood biofluids.

He leads a multidisciplinary group studying ultrafast optical phenomena, with applications in disease diagnostics and optoelectronics. Collaborations include projects like Science4People, supporting education in Ukraine. His lab employs advanced laser systems, including single-cycle infrared waveforms and field-resolved spectroscopy techniques. Krausz has advised numerous PhD students and contributes to international scientific initiatives.

Key achievements include the first attosecond light pulse generation (650 attoseconds in 2001) and developing molecular fingerprinting technologies for clinical diagnostics. His work bridges fundamental physics with biomedical innovation, emphasizing precision metrology and light-matter interactions.