Photo taken on Oct. 2, 2018 shows a screen displaying the portraits of three awarded scientists Arthur Ashkin (L) of U.S., Gerard Mourou (C) of France and Donna Strickland of Canada, for the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics during a press conference at the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden. The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to three scientists working the field of laser physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to three scientists working the field of laser physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced here on Tuesday.

The academy said the award is "for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics" with one half to Arthur Ashkin and the other half jointly to Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland.

"It's crazy! I wonder if it's real! I am so happy! " Strickland said in a telephone interview with the academy at a press conference.

Commenting on her achievements, she emphasized how she "sometimes tries to think outside of the box."

Strickland said she looks forward to receiving the prize in Stockholm in December.