- University of Waterloo credit 0.5
- European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credit 6.0
This course provides an overview of laser fundamentals and the application of ultrashort optical and electron pulses in femtosecond pump-probe experiments with emphasis in ultrafast structural dynamics. The course will cover fundamentals related to classical description of light, electromagnetic waves, propagation of light in vacuum and matter, and light-matter interaction. The quantum nature of light (photon), its interaction with laser media, conditions for lasing (population inversion), generation of optical and electron pulses, nonlinear optical effects, and ultrafast spectroscopy (i.e. mainly time-resolved broadband optical spectroscopy and femtosecond hard X-ray and electron diffraction).
Recommended bibliography:
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“Laser fundamentals” by W. T. Silfvast, 2nd Ed., Cambridge University Press.
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“Nonlinear optics” by Robert Boyd, 3rd Ed., Academic Press.
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“Ultrafast structural dynamics with tabletop femtosecond hard X-ray and electron diffraction setups”. M. Hada et al., Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 222, 1093–1123 (2013).
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“Recent Advances in Ultrafast Structural Techniques”. Sciaini, Appl. Sci. 9, 1427 (2019).
Please remember that the Undergraduate Calendar is always the official source for all course descriptions.