Although the prefixes ‘nano’, ‘femto’ and ‘atto’ suggest something small, they often conceal significant physics and impressive technology. This year, two research groups have been awarded the Helmholtz Prize for setting accuracy records in their respective fields. In the category “Precision measurement in fundamental research”, researchers from the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt and the University of Würzburg have succeeded in measuring the quantum anomalous Hall effect at a new level of precision in the nanometre range (a few parts in a billion; nano = 10–9). This has been achieved with special topological, two-dimensional materials. This has opened the door to a new type of electrical quantum resistance standard. In the category ‘Precision Measurement in Applied Metrology’, the prize goes to researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen. Using a completely new technique known as “femtosecond fieldoscopy” (femto = 10–15), optical electric fields of ultrafast phenomena can be analysed with high precision. This opens up new possibilities, for example, for label-free bioimaging and the detection of target molecules in aqueous environments. The two prizes, each endowed with 20 000 euros, will be awarded on 25 August 2026 at a scientific conference at PTB’s Berlin Institute.
Source: Accuracy records set: Two research groups awarded Helmholtz Prizes
