PHYS40611
Frontiers of Photon Science
10
Semester 1
Undergraduate
Level 4
Darren Graham
Unit coordinator
David Binks
Unit coordinator
1
FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 '
European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0
<p>Frontiers of Photon Science</p>
<p>Frontiers of Photon Science</p>
<div> 1. To gain an appreciation of the techniques of photon science.</div><div> In particular, to understand how:</div><div> • ultrafast laser pulses are produced, characterised and used</div><div> • nonlinear frequency conversion techniques can be used to change the wavelength of laser beams</div><div> • terahertz-frequency light is produced and detected</div><div> </div><div> 2. To illustrate the application of these techniques in scientific research</div><div> </div><div> 3. To provide a suitable introduction to students wishing to pursue postgraduate research in</div><div> photon science.</div>
<p>On completion successful students will be able to:<br/><br/>1. Describe the equipment and techniques used by photon scientists to produce and measure ultrafast laser pulses in the UV, visible, infra-red and terahertz spectral regions.<br/><br/>2. Analyse the optical response of nonlinear materials and explain how it can be optimised to enable the significant wavelength conversion of laser beams.<br/><br/>3. Describe terahertz radiation and its effect on materials<br/><br/>4. Explain quantitatively how these techniques can be used in scientific research to gain an understanding of electronic processes occurring on a sub-nanosecond time-scale.</p>
<div>1. Producing ultrafast laser pulses (2 lectures)</div><div>Mode-locking; dependence of pulse length and peak power on mode number; active and passive techniques. Oscillator-amplifier systems.</div><div> </div><div>2. Nonlinear frequency conversion (8 lectures)</div><div>Nonlinear optical materials; modification of the wave-equation; three-wave coupling; phase-matching; second harmonic and sum-frequency generation; optical parametric amplifiers and oscillators</div><div> </div><div>3. Advanced ultrafast laser diagnostics (2 lectures)</div><div>Single- and multiple-shot autocorrelators. Frequency-Resolved Optical Gating (FROG). Spectral Phase Interferometry for Direct Electric-field Reconstruction (SPIDER).</div><div> </div><div>4. Terahertz spectroscopy (8 lectures)</div><div>Pump-probe detection techniques. Methods of generating terahertz radiation (photoconductive antennas and optical rectification). Electro-optic sampling. Time-domain and frequency-domain techniques. Asynchronous optical sampling methods. Applications of terahertz spectroscopy (conductivity processes in semiconductors and biomolecules).</div><div> </div><div>5. Ultrafast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy (2 lectures).</div><div>White light continuum generation. Application to carrier dynamics in quantum dots: state-filling effects; carrier cooling and recombination; carrier trapping; multiexciton effects including Auger recombination and biexciton binding energy. Mulitple exciton generation as means of exceeding the Shockley-Queisser limit to solar cell efficiency.</div>
1
Written exam
100%
<p>Feedback will be available on students’ solutions to problem sheets.</p>
N
<div> Dexheimer, S. L., Terahertz Spectroscopy, (CRC Press)</div><div> Hannaford P., Femtosecond Laser Spectroscopy, (Springer Science)</div>
Assessment written exam
1.5
Lectures
22
0
76.5