The development of chirped pulse amplification enabled the generation of ultrashort optical pulses with terawatt to petawatt intensity, a technique created during doctoral research at the University of Rochester. By stretching laser pulses in time and spectrum before amplification, Donna Strickland and Gérard Mourou overcame technical limitations that previously caused self-focusing damage to laser systems.
Academic Foundation
Born in Guelph, Ontario, in 1959, Strickland attended Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute before enrolling at McMaster University. She chose McMaster for its engineering physics program, which offered specialized focus on lasers and electro-optics. She graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in 1981. She subsequently pursued graduate studies at the University of Rochester, where she conducted doctoral research at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. She completed her PhD in 1989, having already established the experimental framework for high-intensity pulse generation.
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Following her doctorate, Strickland worked as a research associate at the National Research Council of Canada from 1988 to 1991, collaborating within the Ultrafast Phenomena Section. She transitioned to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1991 for a one-year tenure. In 1992, she joined the technical staff at Princeton University's Advanced Technology Center for Photonics and Opto-electronic Materials. She returned to Canada in 1997 to join the University of Waterloo, where she eventually became a full professor.
Scientific Recognition and Service
In 2018, Strickland and Gérard Mourou shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on chirped pulse amplification. This achievement marked her as the third woman to receive the physics Nobel. Beyond her research, she served as president of Optica in 2013 and has held numerous leadership roles in professional organizations, including the Canadian Association of Physicists. She continues her work at the University of Waterloo, focusing on nonlinear optics and the application of lasers in ophthalmology.
Fast facts
- Born: 1959, Guelph, Canada
- Nobel Prize in Physics: 2018
- Alma Mater: McMaster University, University of Rochester
- Fellow of the Royal Society: 2020
- Companion of the Order of Canada: 2019
- Research focus: Nonlinear optics, laser science
- Optica President: 2013
Questions readers ask
What is the primary significance of chirped pulse amplification?
The technique allows for the creation of high-intensity, ultrashort laser pulses that can perform precise micromachining, including applications in corrective eye surgery.
Why was Strickland's academic rank discussed during her Nobel Prize win?
Commentators noted she was not a full professor at the time, though she clarified that she had not previously applied for the promotion.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Physics — 2018
- Fellow of the Royal Society — 2020
- Notable work: Q56288251
- Held posts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, National Research Council Canada and University of Waterloo
- Educated at Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute, McMaster University and University of Rochester
- Fields of research: laser science, nonlinear optics and optics
