The use of lasers for fusion research, quantum optics and spectroscopy were the goals of the project group, which was established in 1976 and consisted of 46 members.

In 1999 Professor Gerhard Rempe (then University of Constance) was appointed as director at the MPQ, and the Quantum Dynamics Division was set up.

In 2001 the Research Group on Gravitational Waves, led by Dr. Karsten Danzmann, moved to Hanover where the first test measurements were carried out in the experiment.

[2] In the same year (2001) Professor Ignacio Cirac (then University of Innsbruck) accepted a call as director at the MPQ and set up the first Theory Division at the institute.

The same year also the Quantum Simulations with Trapped Ions Group was founded, led by Dr. Tobias Schätz (now at the University of Freiburg).

In 2006 Dr. Reinhard Kienberger (now at TU München) received funding to set up the research group Attosecond Dynamics.

Dr. Randolf Pohl (now at the University of Mainz) started to establish his research group "Muonic Atoms" at the end of 2011.

[3] In 2005, Theodor W. Hänsch was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, together with John L. Hall, "for their contributions to the development of laser-based precision spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb technique".