Conference History

In 1964, the Nobel Prize in Physics was given to Charles Hard Townes, Nicolay Gennadiyevich Basov, and Aleksandr Mikhailovich Prokhorov "for fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics, which has led to the construction of oscillators and amplifiers based on the maser-laser principle", declaring the start of a new era of laser applications in all aspects of our life from fundamental science to the everyday-used objects.

Laser science was developing rapidly, and in 1991, with the endorsement and active support of Alexander M. Prokhorov, the LPHYS conference was created not only to bring leading laser scientists from all over the world together but to establish the ideas of scientific collaboration after the Cold War. Alexander M. Prokhorov himself became the conference chairman and proceeded in this role till he passed away in 2002.

The first annual International Laser Physics Workshop (LPHYS'92),

April 7, 1992 - April 10, 1992, took place in the city of Dubna, Russia, at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. 30 scientists from five countries (both USA and former Soviet republics included) attended the first Workshop.

The second annual International Laser Physics Workshop (LPHYS'93),

June 26 - July 4, 1993, was held on board a luxury river boat during the Dubna/Volga River Tour, Russia. The program consisted of invited lectures followed by discussion and contributed papers presented primarily at poster sessions. More than 40 scientists from various countries attended the conference.

The third annual International Laser Physics Workshop (LPHYS'94),

October 10, 1994 - October 14, 1994 took place in New York City, USA, at the Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York. That year the Workshop was dedicated to the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the experimental observation of photon echo at Columbia University. The conference was entitled “Transient Coherent Phenomena”. Also, the organizers wished to emphasize the importance of international cooperation under the auspices of the United Nations the headquarters of which is locate in New York. More than 50 scientists attended the conference.

Further conferences

have been held annually in different countries all over the world. The Conference grew, and new seminars were created to reflect the novel, developing areas of laser science and building a solid platform for international scientific cooperation. The average number of participants has continued to grow, and now it ranges between 300 and 600 attendees yearly. On the map below, you can find more detailed information on the geography of the LPHYS conference:

Countries where LPHYS took place in the past

Throughout the pandemic

the LPHYS conference format had to be adjusted. LPHYS'20 was postponed in the hope of a better epidemiological situation. From 2021 to 2023, in-person conferences had to be cancelled in favour of online only. But even under such severe circumstances, the conference continued, and despite the online format, the seminar sessions were fruitful and scientifically sound.

Back offline

We are happy to announce that LPHYS'24 has returned to its usual in-person format, and after four long years of a break, we have been able to meet in person in Brazil. We are very pleased to report that 378 participants from 33 countries have attended the 32nd International Laser Physics Conference in São Carloss, having fruitful discussions, plenary and seminar sessions, meeting old friends, and mingling with new participants at the traditional welcome and dinner parties.

Upcoming Conference

The thirty-third annual International Laser Physics Conference (LPHYS'25) will be held from June 30 to July 4, 2025 in the city of Szeged, Hungary, hosted by ELI ERICALPS (Attosecond Light Pulse Source).

LPHYS' Annual International Laser Physics Conferences