Topics

1) Linear pulse propagation

• Overview
• Review of Fourier analysis
• Time and frequency representation
• Amplitude and phase
• Characteristics: energy, pulse duration, spot size, field, power, intensity
• Linear media
• Grating compressors and expanders
• Prism compressors and dispersive mirrors

2) Non-linear optics

• The nonlinear polarizability
• Second order effects
• Third order effects

3) Short pulse generation and amplification

• The laser
• Cavity dumping, Q-switching and modelocking
• Dye lasers: synchronous and passive modelocking
• Dye amplifiers
• Kerr lens modelocking
• Regenerative amplification
• Multipass amplification
• Design considerations: how short and how much power?
• Extension to other wavelengths
• Shorter pulses via self-phase modulation followed by compression
• Pulse shaping
• Commercial systems and facilities

4) Characterization of short pulses

• Grating spectrometer
• Electric field autocorrelation
• Intensity autocorrelation
• Interferometric autocorrelation
• Streak cameras
• Frequency resolved optical gating (FROG)
• Spectral interferometry
• General approach

5) Experimentation (varies)

• Special considerations when using short pulses
• Fourier transform spectroscopy
• Pump-probe
• Four-wave mixing
• Intense field physics
• Attosecond pulses
• Your suggestions...