French physicist Jean Dalibard has been awarded the 2025 Alessandro Volta Prize for his pioneering contributions to laser cooling and quantum physics, recognizing research that has enabled scientists to slow atoms to temperatures approaching absolute zero and opened the path to quantum simulators and future quantum technologies.
The prize was presented during a ceremony at the Sala Bianca of the Teatro Sociale in Como, Italy. Dalibard is a professor at the Collège de France and a recipient of the CNRS Gold Medal, France's highest scientific distinction.
The award, established by the European Physical Society in partnership with the multiutility energy company Acinque, celebrates the value of basic research in the name of Alessandro Volta, the Como-born scientist whose invention of the battery changed history. Dalibard is the first winner of the newly created prize.
Official laudations were delivered by two Nobel laureates in physics: Alain Aspect, who won the prize in 2022, and William D. Phillips, who won in 1997. Their participation underscored the international prestige of the recognition.
The jury honored Dalibard for his discoveries on light-matter interactions and ultracold gases. His work on laser cooling has allowed researchers to slow atoms to temperatures near absolute zero, a feat that underpins quantum simulation and a new generation of precision technologies.
Applications of Dalibard's research on ultracold atoms are already finding concrete use in several fields. They include the development of quantum computing for designing new materials and drugs, next-generation atomic clocks essential for telecommunications networks and ultra-precise satellite navigation, and quantum sensors applied to medical diagnostics and geophysical monitoring.
«I felt a great sense of pride when I learned that I would be the first winner of this new prize,» Dalibard said. «Beyond the prestigious recognition of my team's work, I am particularly moved because this prize comes from a scientific society operating at the European level.»
He added that scientific societies are the main guardians of scientific truth, based on facts proven by rigorous experiments and protected from economic and political pressures. Dalibard expressed confidence that Europe as a whole will play an increasingly relevant role in the global scientific landscape, noting that while research resources vary widely among European countries, each has a rich scientific history supported by talented academics and a tradition of cooperation with neighboring countries.
Speaking about the applications of his research, Dalibard highlighted the potential of quantum simulators based on ultracold atoms. He identified two problems that are almost within reach of these simulators. The first concerns superconductivity, the ability of certain materials at very low temperatures to conduct electricity without resistance and therefore without energy dissipation. Some aspects of superconductivity remain poorly understood, and simulating these materials using cold atoms is proving very promising.
The second example is the quantum Hall effect, which occurs when a material is placed in a strong magnetic field. Here too, some phenomena are not yet fully understood, and reproducing them using ultracold atomic gases could lead to significant advances.
On the fight against false information, Dalibard said a scientific society can truly make a difference. It brings together the expertise of many scientists and can help provide the public with clear, well-founded information based on the best knowledge available at a given time.
Nobel laureate William D. Phillips emphasized the revolutionary impact of Dalibard's work in transforming a specialized field of research. «Dalibard developed a new theory that made it possible to create a new generation of atomic clocks that today keep time for the entire world,» Phillips said. He added that atomic interferometers and high-frequency optical clocks have the potential to guarantee navigation even when satellite signals are obscured or unavailable, and that cold atoms will find a prominent place in both commercial and strategic applications.
Alain Aspect focused on the concrete prospects arising from basic research and quantum simulators. «I believe that quantum simulators based on cold atoms will produce extraordinary results for society, starting with the design of new drugs and complex materials,» Aspect said.
Alessio Butti, undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council with responsibility for technological innovation and digital transition, said the Volta Prize speaks to the strong bond between Como, science and innovation. He added that it is particularly meaningful for the city to continue honoring Volta's memory, transforming his extraordinary scientific legacy into an incentive to look to the future.
José María De Teresa, president of the European Physical Society, said the prize to Dalibard underscores his efforts to understand ensembles of atoms at extremely low temperatures. «Without support for pioneering research, it would be impossible, decades later, to develop disruptive technologies,» De Teresa said. He added that Europe must foster innovation by reducing bureaucracy and regulation, and by encouraging young physicists to follow their instincts and challenge current knowledge.