The physicists have been awarded the prestigious prize for their work in the field of laser physics.

American scientist Arthur Ashkin, French engineer Gérard Mourou and Canadian professor Donna Strickland have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in the field of laser physics.

Dr. Ashkin has been awarded the Prize “for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems,” stated the official Twitter handle of the Nobel Prize, given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Mourou and Dr. Strickland have been awarded “for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses.”

“The inventions being honoured this year have revolutionised laser physics. Extremely small objects and incredibly rapid processes are now being seen in a new light. Advanced precision instruments are opening up unexplored areas of research and a multitude of industrial and medical applications,” stated the official website.

“We need to celebrate women physicists because they’re out there… I’m honoured to be one of those women," says Donna Strickland. Dr. Strickland is third woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics, after Maria Goeppert-Mayer and Marie Curie.