Canadian Association of Physicists

The Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Canada (DAMOPC) includes both experimental and theoretical physicists working in the field of 'AMO' physics, which is Atomic, Molecular, and Optical physics. Topics of study include: the properties of light; applications of laser science; photonic devices; fundamentals of quantum mechanics and the nature of quantum information; the interaction of light with photonic crystals, semiconductors, quantum wells and superlattices; ultafast and nonlinear optical phenomena and spectroscopy; cold and ultracold atoms such as Bose-Einstein condensates and neutral Fermi gases; trapped ions; plasma physics; and studies of biological systems using optical probes. Such a wide variety of interests are drawn together by a common focus on lasers as primary experimental tools, and on quantum mechanics as the primary theoretical paradigm. Even though AMO is an old field, it has been continually rejuvenated with new technologies and deeper understanding. As some evidence of this, 5 of the last 16 Nobel prizes have been awarded in AMO physics: 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2012.

DAMOPC sponsors the following prizes and awards: a Doctoral Thesis Prize in atomic, molecular, and optical physics; a CAP Outstanding Student Paper Award in AMO Physics; and a Best Student Presentation Competition at the Annual CAP Congress. A description of each of the prizes/awards is available using the link to the left.