Ultrafast optics involves the generation and use of ultrashort light pulses, with durations measured in femtoseconds (10-15 s). Our group works on several aspects of ultrafast optics. We work on generating and controlling ultrashort pulses, which, of course, the provide the foundation for the field of ultrafast optics. However, we are primarily interested in using ultrashort light pulses for a variety of scientific applications. A natural application is to use the very short duration of the pulses to study processes that occur on similar timescales, which is generally known as ultrafast spectroscopy. Ultrafast spectroscopy not only gives dynamical information, but it also provides information about the fundamentals of how light interacts with matter.
To learn more about our specific research topics, please follow these links:
- Ultrashort-pulsed lasers
- Interaction of ultrashort-pulsed lasers & matter
- Optical frequency combs
- Spectroscopy
We do research in a suite of labs that house 8 ti:sapphire mode-locked laser oscillators, one high repetition rate ti:sapphire amplifier system and several mode-locked fiber lasers.
Summaries of a selection of our research publications are available:
