PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Klaus Mølmer

Also known as Klaus Moelmer

Klaus Mølmer is a theoretical physicist whose quantum-optics research includes quantum computing and machine learning for sensing. He earned his physics PhD at Aarhus in 1990, helped develop the Monte Carlo wave-function method with two French collaborators, and co-proposed a trapped-ion gate with Anders Sørensen. He received the Humboldt Research Award and the Dirac Medal in 2023 and the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prize in 2025; a 2024 preprint he coauthored used deep learning to track changing magnetic fields. As of October 2026, he is professor and section leader in quantum optics and photonics at the Niels Bohr Institute and an adjunct professor in quantum optics at Aarhus through February 2027.

Now at
University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University
Works
623
Citations
27,540
h-index
73

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1990–1991

    A doctorate and faculty post

    At Aarhus University, he completes his physics PhD in 1990 and joins the faculty as an associate professor in 1991.

  2. 1992

    A fellowship and quantum jumps

    A Humboldt Research Fellowship takes him to the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in 1992. With two French collaborators, he develops the Monte Carlo wave-function method in the early 1990s to describe how measurements affect quantum systems.

  3. 1999

    A trapped-ion quantum gate

    With Anders Sørensen, he proposes quantum logic gates for an ion-trap computer in 1999 using virtual vibrational excitations, making quantum computation feasible even when ions couple to a thermal reservoir.

  4. 2000–2022

    Professor at Aarhus and Copenhagen

    At Aarhus, he becomes a professor of physics in 2000. In 2022, he moves to a professorship at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, where he continues work on quantum computers, precision measurement and quantum jumps.

  5. 2023

    Two quantum physics awards

    In 2023, he receives the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award and the Dirac Medal for contributions to quantum optics, quantum information and quantum atom optics.

  6. 2024

    Continuous field tracking

    In a 2024 preprint, he and six coauthors use deep-learning models to decode optical measurements while tracking time-varying magnetic fields.

  7. 2025

    A Carlsberg research prize

    The Carlsberg Foundation awards him its Research Prize in 2025 for work in theoretical quantum optics and quantum mechanics.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor and section leader

    As of October 2026, he is a professor and section leader in quantum optics and photonics at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, and an adjunct professor in quantum optics at Aarhus through February 2027.

Sources and credits

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  1. Denmark’s largest research award goes to the ‘voice’ of quantum mechanics medarbejdere.au.dk. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Prof. Dr. Klaus Moelmer humboldt-foundation.de. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Quantum Computation with Ions in Thermal Motion journals.aps.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. Fra kvantefysik til kvantecomputere aktuelnaturvidenskab.dk. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. Klaus Mølmer Wins Humboldt Research Prize uni-bonn.de. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Dirac Medal unsw.edu.au. Checked 15 October 2026.
  7. Continuous field tracking with machine learning and steady state spin squeezing arxiv.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  8. Klaus Mølmer and Claes Holger de Vreese awarded the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025 carlsbergfondet.dk. Checked 15 October 2026.
  9. Kvanteoptik og Fotonik nbi.ku.dk. Checked 15 October 2026.
  10. Adjungerede professorer og lektorer auhist.au.dk. Checked 15 October 2026.