Applied Physics A - 2024 Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics

This year's Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics has been awarded to Prof. Boris Chichkov for his outstanding work and pioneering research in laser physics and laser applications, in particular ultrashort pulse laser processing of metals, which paved the way for a new direction in laser processing of materials. In addition, his work in the field of two photon polymerization has been instrumental for various applications, ranging from medical to photonic. More recently, he advanced the field of direct laser printing, especially at the interface with biology as summarized in his perspective article in our 50 years anniversary (this opens in a new tab) issue (Volume 128, article number 1015 (this opens in a new tab), 2022). Further to this he has been a strong supporter of the journal over the years as a highly impactful author, for which we would like to show our gratitude.

Prize Ceremony

Dr. Chichkov’s award will be given on October 18th at the Springer Nature office in Berlin (Germany). The ceremony will be accompanied by a public lecture given by Dr. Chichkov. More details to follow soon!

About the Prize Winner

Boris Nikolaevich Chichkov, born in 1955 in Novokuznetsk (Russia), is a German-Russian physicist whose primary research focus revolves around pioneering laser technologies and their practical applications in material processing, photonics, and biomedicine.

Between 1972 and 1978, Chichkov pursued his physics studies at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT). Following this, he served as a post-graduate student from 1978 to 1981 at both MIPT and the P.N. Lebedev Institute of Physics in Moscow, earning his Ph.D. in physics from the former in 1981.

Chichkov embarked on his scientific journey in laser physics at the P.N. Lebedev Institute of Physics in Moscow, where he contributed as a scientific researcher from 1981 to 1995. His international experience includes being an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching, from 1988 to 1990, and a Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science at the Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Japan, from 1992 to 1993. Following a period as a research scientist at the Technical University Darmstadt and Max-Planck-Institut für Biopysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, from 1993 to 1994, he joined the Institut für Quantenoptik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, as a visiting research scientist in 1994.

Transitioning to the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., Chichkov assumed the role of a scientific researcher from 1995 to 1997 and completed his habilitation in physics at Leibniz Universität Hannover in 1997.

His academic journey continued with a guest professorship at the Institut für Quantenoptik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, from 1997 to 2000 and a senior scientific researcher position at the Institut für Angewandte Physik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, from 2000 to 2001. From 2001 to 2004, he led the strategy group at Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. and subsequently took charge of the nanotechnology department from 2004 to 2017.

Since 2009, he has held the position of a professor of physics at Leibniz Universität Hannover.

Chichkov's areas of scientific focus encompass laser physics and its applications, nonlinear optics, nano- and biophotonics, nanotechnology, biomedical implants and devices, biofabrication, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.

In collaboration with fellow researchers, he has delved into the study of femtosecond laser material processing, three-dimensional additive laser nanomanufacturing using the two-photon polymerization technique, laser generation, and printing of individual nanoparticles, as well as laser printing of living cells and tissues.

Quote from winner

“I feel very honored and grateful to the selection committee for the decision to award me the Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics in 2024. Thanks also to all my co-workers and friends for their enthusiastic work on our joint projects. This prize is an important recognition of our joint R&D journey.”

Quote from the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Thomas Lippert

“With great pleasure we celebrate Prof. Chichkov’s extensive and ground-breaking contributions in advancing laser applications. As such it is an honour to bestow this prize on him, recognising his pioneering work in the field of femtosecond laser based material processing, 2-photon polymerization, and laser based direct write technologies. He and his numerous students and colleagues have been prolific innovators in advancing our understanding of laser material processing, which have led to vital improvements in efficient laser applications. Especially one paper published by Prof. Chichkov’s team, i.e., Femtosecond, picosecond and nanosecond laser ablation of solids, Volume 63, pages 109–115, (1996) has been cited alone more than 2300 times, showing the tremendous impact of his work and how highly his work is regarded by the readership of Applied Physics A. On their behalf and that of the editors, I congratulate you and your team for your outstanding achievements and thank you for your drive and passion to communicate these to the community.”

The Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics recognizes researchers who have made an outstanding and innovative contribution to the field of applied physics. It has been awarded annually since 1998 by the editors-in-chief of the Springer journals Applied Physics A – Materials Science & Processing and Applied Physics B – Lasers and Optics. Recent winners have included Roland Wiesendanger, Xiang Zhang, Viktor Malka, Guus Rijnders, Jerome Faist, Leon Chua, Jun Ye, Richard E. Russo and Ronald K. Hanson.

Further Information

Find out more about Boris Chichkov’s work in the following articles published in Applied Physics A and other Springer Nature titles: 

Selected publications from Applied Physics A

Vasylkovskyi, V., Bespalova, I., Gryshkov, O. et al. Laser generation of CeAlO3 nanocrystals with perovskite structure. Appl. Phys. A 129, 714 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-023-06977-4  (this opens in a new tab)

Chichkov, B. Laser printing: trends and perspectives. Appl. Phys. A 128, 1015 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-022-06158-9  (this opens in a new tab)

Barcikowski, S., Hahn, A., Kabashin, A. et al. Properties of nanoparticles generated during femtosecond laser machining in air and water. Appl. Phys. A 87, 47–55 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-006-3852-1  (this opens in a new tab)

Korte, F., Serbin, J., Koch, J. et al. Towards nanostructuring with femtosecond laser pulses . Appl Phys A 77, 229–235 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-003-2110-z  (this opens in a new tab)

Chichkov, B.N., Momma, C., Nolte, S. et al. Femtosecond, picosecond and nanosecond laser ablation of solids. Appl. Phys. A 63, 109–115 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567637  (this opens in a new tab)

5 highly cited

Miroshnichenko, A., Evlyukhin, A., Yu, Y. et al. Nonradiating anapole modes in dielectric nanoparticles. Nat Commun 6, 8069 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9069  (this opens in a new tab)

Zywietz, U., Evlyukhin, A., Reinhardt, C. et al. Laser printing of silicon nanoparticles with resonant optical electric and magnetic responses. Nat Commun 5, 3402 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4402  (this opens in a new tab)

Obata, K., El-Tamer, A., Koch, L. et al. High-aspect 3D two-photon polymerization structuring with widened objective working range (WOW-2PP). Light Sci Appl 2, e116 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/lsa.2013.72  (this opens in a new tab)

Gruene, M., Unger, C., Koch, L. et al. Dispensing pico to nanolitre of a natural hydrogel by laser-assisted bioprinting. BioMed Eng OnLine 10, 19 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-925X-10-19  (this opens in a new tab)

Farsari, M., Chichkov, B. Two-photon fabrication. Nature Photon 3, 450–452 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2009.131  (this opens in a new tab)