Soviet physicist, one of the founders of nonlinear optics. Doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, Meritorious Scientist of the RSFSR.
Sergey Akhmanov was born in Moscow into the family of teachers of the Moscow State University. He graduated from the Physics Faculty of the MSU in 1952.
In 1962 Sergey Akhmanov jointly with R. V. Khokhlov organized the USSR's first laboratory of nonlinear optics in the MSU. In 1974 he headed the general physics department at the Mechanical Mathematics Faculty and from 1978 headed the joint department of general physics and wave processes.
Sergey Akhmanov initiated the foundation of the MSU International Laser Center in 1989 and organized international conferences on nonlinear and coherent optics held from 1978.
He and R. V. Khokhlov are the founders of a large school of nonlinear optics and laser physics. Sergey Akhmanov published about 200 research papers. His works are dedicated to generation of supershort laser impulses, nonlinear laser spectroscopy, statistical radiophysics and optics.
In 1962 he was the first to formulate the idea and advance the scheme of the parametrical light radiation generator, which was implemented in 1965. In 1968 the reconstructable generators of supershort impulses were created under his supervision.
Sergey Akhmanov performed pioneer works on research of fluctuation and non-stationary phenomena under nonlinear interactions of light waves and laid the foundation for statistical nonlinear optics.
From 1972 he headed development of several new methods of coherent laser spectroscopy and laser diagnostics of substance and environments. His work resulted in generation of powerful piсosecond and femtosecond laser systems for studying the physics of superpowerful light fields as well as  research of nonlinear and optical processes in condensed environments.