The International Workshop on Strong-field Quantum Optics (SFQO 2026)
will be held on Porquerolles Island, France, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2, 2026. SFQO26 will bring together a select group of invited researchers in strong-field physics and quantum optics to exchange ideas and discuss their latest results in areas including:
- Multimode quantum light
- Quantum-optical signatures in strong-field processes
- Strong field quantum light-matter interactions
Key invited speakers — spanning strong-field theory, quantum-state theory and experiments, ultrafast optics, and emerging quantum-optical platforms and technologies— will lead interdisciplinary discussions on advancing quantum science in intense optical fields, developing next-generation attosecond quantum sources, and integrating strong-field quantum optics with quantum information science. The focused workshop format is designed to foster in-depth interaction and to bridge the gap between strong-field and quantum-optics communities.
The participation fee is €650 (reduced to €350 for PhD students), which covers local expenses, including accommodation in a single room, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, coffee breaks, poster-session refreshments, the gala dinner, and round-trip boat transfer between the mainland and the island (approximately 20 minutes). Thanks to our generous sponsors we also expect to offer individual grants to support students and early-career researchers.
List of confirmed speakers:
Prof. Radim Filip (Department of Optics Faculty of Science
Palacky University, Czech Republic)
Prof. Nicolas Treps (Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Sorbonne Université, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Collège de France, Paris, France)
Dr. David Theidel (Collège de France, Paris, France and Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France)
Prof. Nicholas Rivera (Cornell University, USA)
Prof. Giulio Vampa (National Research Council of Canada and University of Ottawa, Canada)
Prof. Ido Kaminer (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)
Prof. Frédéric Grillot (Université Laval, Center for Optics, Photonics and Lasers, Québec, Canada AND Télécom Paris, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, France)
Prof. Oren Cohen (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)
Ido Nisim (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)
Prof. Mohammad Hassan (University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, US)
Prof. Paris Tzallas (FORTH, Heraklion, Greece)
Dr. Javier Rivera-Dean (ICFO, Casteldefelds, Spain)
Prof. Lars Bojer Madsen (Department of Physics and Astronomy
Aarhus University)
Prof. Marcus Dahlstrom (Lund University, Lund, Sueden)
Dr. Jonathan Poelloth (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany)
to be continued…
Sponsorship:
Quantum Frontiers
in a Mediterranean Sanctuary
Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, Porquerolles offers an exceptional and inspiring setting for scientific exchange.
As part of the Port-Cros National Park, the island is renowned for its preserved natural landscapes, crystal-clear waters, vineyards, and tranquil atmosphere free from urban distraction. This unique environment fosters focused discussions and creative thinking, making Porquerolles an ideal venue for the Strong Field Quantum Optics Workshop, where cutting-edge science meets clarity, openness, and inspiration.
Subscriptions start from 5 April 2026
Day 1: Welcome
Arrival by boat in the pm
6pm: Welcome Cocktail Party
8pm: Diner
Tutorial 1: QUANTUM HHG
This tutorial introduces high-harmonic generation from a quantum perspective, covering strong-field light–matter interaction, semiclassical and quantum models, and applications in attosecond science and ultrafast spectroscopy.
Tutorial 2: QUANTUM LIGHT STATES
This tutorial surveys fundamental quantum states of light, including coherent, squeezed, and Fock states, emphasizing their mathematical description, physical generation, and role in quantum information and precision metrology.
Tuturial 3: QUANTUM LIGHT
This tutorial explores various quantum nature of light protocols, from bright squeezed vacuum to four wave mixing. We will emphasize specific ultrafast feature such as sub-femtosecond squeezing of the light.
Tutorial 4: QUANTUM ELECTRONS
This tutorial explores electron dynamics in quantum systems, focusing on wave–particle duality, coherence, tunneling, and electron–photon interactions relevant to ultrafast microscopy and nanoscale quantum technologies.
Workshop schedule
Meet the organisers
Prof. Hamed Merdji
Head of the Strong Field Quantum at Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France
Prof. Maria Chekova
Head of the Quantum Radiation Group at the Max-Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany
Prof. Misha Ivanov
Head of the Attosecond Theory Group at the Max Born Institute, Berlin, Germany.
“Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, only in the singular.”
Erwin Schrödinger