Born 1962 in Mor, Hungary. Diploma with distinction in electrical engineering, Budapest University of Technology (1981-1985), theoretical physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Faculty of Physics (1981-1985). Doctorate with distinction in laser physics at Vienna University of Technology (1987-1991), Habilitation in laser physics (1991-1993), Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering (1996-1998), Professor of Electrical Engineering (1999-2004). Director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (since 2003), Professor of Experimental Physics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (since 2004).