Einstein's impact on optics at the frontier

The seminal contributions made by Einstein a century ago have enabled a new frontier area of science, called high-field science. This research involves the physics of the interactions of matter with electromagnetic fields at its highest levels ever achieved in the laboratory. Besides being of fundamental importance to physics research, the discoveries being made in this area are also leading to a new generation of compact and ultrashort-duration particle accelerators and X-ray light sources, with applications ranging from nuclear fusion to cancer therapy.