The Einstein Prize for Laser Science was a recognition awarded by the former Society for Optical and Quantum Electronics and sponsored by the Eastman Kodak Company. The prize, awarded in the 1988–1999 period, consisted in a 3-inch brass medal including Einstein's image and a depiction of a two-level transition including the A and B coefficients. Recipients of the prize include:
In retrospect, the prize was mainly awarded for significant contributions in quantum optics. Two recipients of the Einstein Prize for Laser Science were already Nobel laureates in physics (W. E. Lamb and N. F. Ramsey) and five other recipients went on to win the Nobel Prize in Physics (S. Haroche, J. L. Hall, T. W. Hänsch, C. E. Wieman, and D. J. Wineland). Presentation of the prize was done at the Lasers'88 to Lasers'99 conferences.
Note: the official name of these conferences was The International Conference on Lasers and Applications, Lasers 'XX.