The laboratory is named in honour of H. Kamerlingh Onnes, who was one of the first professors in experimental physics at Leiden University. He was the first to liquify helium 1908, for which he was awarded the Nobel prize in 1913, and he discovered superconductivity in 1911. Most of the present day work in our laboratory still involves low temperatures.
The Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory has 6 research groups:

	Atomic and Molecular Conductors Prof.dr. J.M. van Ruitenbeek Dr.ir. S.J. van der Molen
	Interface Physics Prof. dr. J.W.M. Frenken, Dr. ir. T.H. Oosterkamp, Dr. M.J. Rost
	Magnetic and Superconducting Materials Prof. dr. P.H. Kes, Prof. dr. J. Aarts, Dr. G.J. Nieuwenhuys
	Quantum Physics of Nanostructured Materials Prof. dr. L.J. de Jongh, Dr. H.B. Brom
	Quantum Physics and Applications at Ultra Low Temperatures Prof. dr. G. Frossati, Dr. R. Jochemsen
	Granular & Disordered Media Prof. dr. M. van Hecke
	Physics of Surfaces and Materials Prof.dr.ir. R.M. Tromp