This book is designed to equip someone with minimal experience using lasers and optics with the knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively using an ultrafast laser system in their lab. This new edition features more information on different laser architectures, including explicit discussion of the differences between Ti:
Sa and Yb:fibre lasers, and these are highlighted throughout where differences are relevant. Other sections have been expanded so that they now include better explanations and more context, content, and examples. ‘Ultrafast Lasers and Optics for Experimentalists (Second Edition)’ is intended for diverse audience: it codifies the basic principles of ultrafast laser operation and practical use, and explains key physical phenomena in an accessible and intuitive way, without recourse to dense mathematics.
Key Features:
An accessible introduction to ultrafast lasers and optics, designed specifically to allow a non-specialist to quickly get up to speed and be productive in their lab. Complex physical phenomena explained clearly and accessibly without dense mathematics. Sufficient information tailored to provide an experimental scientist (not necessarily laser specialists) with the tools to work effectively in the lab – guided by the author’s extensive hands-on practical experience. The book is specifically designed to assume a minimum of knowledge of lasers and optics initially.
Preface Common laser terminology Foreword Acknowledgements Author biography PART I FUNDAMENTALS 1 Lasers 1.1 Why lasers? 1.2 Laser action 1.3 Oscillators and amplifiers 1.3.1 Amplifiers 1.3.2 Oscillators References 2 Laser light and laser beams 2.1 Laser light 2.1.1 Pulsed lasers and time-bandwidth products 2.1.2 The transform limit 2.1.3 Repetition rates and pulse trains 2.1.4 Polarisation (expanded to include circular and elliptical, appendix on Jones matrix formalism) 2.2 Gaussian beams (expanded to enable later discussion of fibre modes) 2.2.1 Ideal beam parameters 2.2.2 Deviations from ideality References 3 Bandwidth and Dispersion (was just Dispersion) 3.1 Origins of dispersion (expanded) 3.2 Dispersion, ultrafast pulses, and chirp 3.2.1 Envelopes and carriers 3.3 Propagation through a dispersive medium 3.3.1 The role of the spectral phase 3.3.2 The form of the spectral phase 3.4 Group delay dispersion 3.5 Higher order dispersion 3.5 Predicting broadening from dispersion 3.6 Dispersion of optical elements 3.7 Pulse compression—compensating for dispersion (expanded to include other techniques) 3.8 Other consequences of broad bandwidth 3.8.1 Beam focussing 3.8.2 Polarisation optics 3.8.3 Spatial Chirp References 4 Non-linear optics 4.1 Non-linear material response 4.1.1 Self-focussing and self-phase modulation 4.2 Non-linear frequency mixing (expanded) 4.2.1 Birefringent phase matching (expanded) 4.3.1 Non-critical phase matching 4.3 Optical parametric frequency conversion (expanded extensively) 4.4. Applications of nonlinear optics. References PART II ULTRAFAST LASER SYSTEMS 5 Generating ultrashort pulses 5.1 Laser systems 5.2 Oscillators 5.2.1 Q-switching? 5.2.2 Modelocking 5.2.3 Modelocking Techniques 5.3 Amplifiers 5.3.1 Chirped pulse amplification 5.3.2 Regenerative amplification 5.3.1 Fibre amplification 5.4 Pulse compression 5.4.1 Compressor geometries 5.4.2 Alternative strategies for compression References 6. Manipulating Ultrashort Pulses This chapter explains more “what” you can do to manipulate the light from a laser, and later chapters (in part III) explain “how” to do it, and what components to buy. 6.1 Spatial manipulation 6.1.1 Beam expansion/reduction 6.1.2 Wavefront manipulation 6.2 Temporal manipulation 6.2.1 Pulse stretching and compression 6.2.2 Repetition rate manipulation 6.3 Wavelength manipulation 6.3.1 OPA architecture 6.3.2 UV-Vis sources 6.3.3 mid-IR sources 6.3.4 Bandwidth broadening 6.3.5 Bandwidth reduction 6.4 Polarisation manipulation 6.4.1 Linear to Circular Polarisation 6.4.2 Bandwidth considerations 7 Characterising ultrashort pulses 7.1 Temporal characterisation 7.1.1 Measure what? 7.1.2 Measuring the central frequency 7.1.3 Electronic measurement? 7.1.4 Measuring the intensity profile: autocorrelation 7.1.5 Measuring the spectral phase: FROG and related methods 7.1.6 One complication: measuring UV pulses 7.2 Spatial characterisation 7.2.1 Beam waist 7.2.2 Divergence 7.3 Energy characterisation 7.3.1 Energy and power 7.3.2 Peak power, fluence, and intensity References PART III PRACTICAL ULTRAFAST OPTICS 8 Optical elements 8.1 General considerations 8.1.1 Optical substrates 8.1.2 Optical coatings 8.1.3 Optical labelling 8.2 Mirrors 8.2.1 Metallic mirrors 8.2.2 Dielectric mirrors 8.2.3 Chirped mirrors 8.2.4 Cost and damage 8.3 Beamsplitters 8.3.1 Standard beamsplitters 8.3.2 Dichroic beamsplitters/mirrors 8.4 Polarisation optics 8.4.1 Polarisers 8.4.2 Waveplates 8.5 Focussing optics 8.5.1 Lenses 8.5.2 Mirrors 8.6 Gratings and prisms 8.6.1 Gratings 8.6.2 Prisms 8.7 Windows and filters 8.7.1 Windows 8.7.2 Filters 8.7.3 Etalons 8.7.3 Neutral density filters 8.8 Nonlinear crystals 8.8 Optomechanics 8.8.1 Anatomy of a mounted optic 8.8.2 Tips for buying optomechanics References 9 Building a beamline 9.1 Safety! 9.2 Planning 9.2.1 What light do I need? 9.2.2 General principles 9.2.3 Sketching a beamline 9.2.4 Budgetary constraints 9.3 Optical building 9.3.1 Beam steering 9.3.2 Overlapping beams (expanded) 9.4 Useful sub-assemblies (some material from chap 9 in here instead) 9.4.1 Delay Stage 9.4.2 4f spectral filter 9.4.3 Nonlinear frequency conversion 9.4.4 Beam expansion and reduction 9.4.5 Focussing into a sample cell 9.4.5 Focussing into a vacuum chamber 10 Case study: pump-probe beamline 10.1 Initial equipment 10.2 Requirements 10.2.1 Constraints 10.3 Design and construction 10.3.1 Pulse durations 11 Case study: broadband spectroscopy beamline 11.1 Initial equipment 11.2 Requirements 11.2.1 Constraints 11.3 Design and construction 11.4 Modifications 11.4.1 Transient Absorption 11.4.2 Stimulated Raman Scattering 11.4.3 Sum-Frequency Generation Spectroscopy 12 Case Study: Microscopy (exact title TBC) 12.1 Using ultrafast lasers for microscopy and imaging. 12.2 Microscope objectives and focussing. 12.3 Dispersion and power considerations 12.4 Example: multiphoton microscopy 12.5 Example: fluorescence lifetime imaging APPENDICES Appendix A: Electromagnetic waves Appendix B: Useful resources Appendix C: Suppliers Appendix D: Jones Matrix Formalism
James David Pickering is a Lecturer in Physical Chemistry at the University of Leicester. Originally from Essex, he attended Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form and obtained his MChem in Chemistry at Jesus College, University of Oxford, and his PhD in Chemistry at Aarhus University. Following this, he returned to the UK and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, where he also taught extensively in physical chemistry and mathematics. His research interests lie in the application of ultrafast and nonlinear spectroscopy. James is a committed and passionate scientific educator and teaches extensively across the physical natural sciences. He is an associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
