Ultrafast Laser Physics

This is a graduate level class with the goal to give also to the non-expert an efficient starting position to enter into the field of ultrafast laser physics providing all the detailed derivations. Throughout the lecture I will give a brief historic perspective in the progress of ultrafast pulse generation moving from 1966 to today with a pulse duration improvement from picoseconds to attoseconds. A basic knowledge in lasers and the undergraduate class in Quantum Electronics is recommended.

PD Dr. L. Gallmann will give the lecture of Ultrafast Laser Physics during the semester HS 12.
The lecture takes place every Wednesday from 10:45 till 12.30 in the room HIT F11.1.
The exercise course will be on Wednesday from 12:45 till 13:30 always in HIT F11.1.

Program

Linear pulse propagation

Dispersion compensation and nonlinear pulse propagation

Relaxation oscillations and Q-switching

Active and passive modelocking

Pulse duration measurements

Pump probe measurements and Noise

Frequency combs and carrier envelope offset phase

Hot topics (High Harmonics Generation and Attosecond pulses)

Literature

Suggested book for the prerequisite knowledge (Quantum Electronics I):

• Saleh, B. E. A., Teich, M. C., Fundamentals of Photonics, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1991

A short summary of much of the topics in this lecture is summarized in the following book chapter:

• U. Keller
  Ultrafast solid-state lasers
  Landolt-Börnstein, Group VIII/1B1, Laser Physics and Applications. Subvolume B: Laser Systems. Part 1. Edited by G. Herziger, H. Weber, R. Proprawe, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, October, pp. 33-167, 2007
  ISBN 978-3-540-26033-2
  PDF file can be downloaded here