Summer Semester 2023

Ultrafast Sources

Lecture notes

The course Ultrafast Sources is held by Prof. Francesca Calegari, Prof. Tobias Herr, Prof. Franz X. Kärtner, and Agata Azzolin at the University of Hamburg during the Summer Semester 2023.  Below you can find all the necessary information:

Lectures: Tue 15:00-16:30 and Thu 15:00-16:30, in presence

Lab/Exercises: Thu 16:45-18:15, in presence

Start: April 4, 2023

Location: CFEL, Seminar Room IV

Content:

  • Linear and nonlinear pulse propagation: Optical solitons, pulse compression, and supercontinua. Femtosecond laser frequency combs.
  • Laser dynamics: Single-mode, multi-mode, Q-switching, mode locking.
  • Pulse characterization.
  • Laser amplifiers and parametric amplifiers.
  • Attosecond Sources and Attosecond Science.

 

The course will combine lectures and problem sets with hands-on experimental work in the laboratory, including building your own femtosecond fiber laser.

Course schedule

 4.4.2023    Introduction: Applications of ultrafast sources Linear propagation of light in optical media.

 6.4.2023    Optical Pulses and Dispersion. Problem Set 1 Out

11.4.2023    Nonlinear optical effects: Nonlinear polarization; Self-phase modulation (SPM); Nonlinear propagation of pulses.

13.4.2023    Nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Problem Set 1 Due, Problem Set 2 Out

18.4.2023    Dispersion in fibers and waveguides.

20.4.2023    Microresonator ultra-high repetition rate sources.  Problem Set 2 Due, Problem Set 3 Out

25.4.2023    Generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation.

27.4.2023    Broadband spectra & Supercontinua. Problem Set 3 Due, Problem Set 4 Out

 2.5.2023    Time and frequency metrology.

 4.5.2023    Two-level systems and Maxwell-Bloch Equations. Problem Set 4 Due, Problem Set 5 Out

 9.5.2023    Laser rate equations and CW-laser dynamics.

11.5.2023    Q-switching. Problem Set 5 Due, Problem 6 Out

23.5.2023    Active Mode-locking.

25.5.2023    Passive Mode-locking. Problem Set 6 Due, Problem Set 7 Out

30.5.2023    Semiconductor saturable absorbers, Q-switched mode locking, and laser instabilities.

 1.6.2023    Gaussian beams and resonators. Problem Set 7 Due, Problem Set 8 Out

 6.6.2023    Kerr Lens Mode-Locking and state-of-the-art short pulse lasers.

 8.6.2023    Laser Amplifiers: CPA. Problem Set 8 due

13.6.2023    Second-order Nonlinear Interactions.

15.6.2023    Optical Parametric Amplification/ broadband OPA. Second harmonic generation and demonstration of OPA Principle

20.6.2023    Pulse Compression.

22.6.2023    Pulse Compression (Hollow-core, Multi-pass Cavities). Build your own HCF setup

27.6.2023    Pulse Characterization: Autocorrelation, FROG, SPIDER, and 2DSI.

29.6.2023    Lab: Build your own HCF Setup. Characterization of spectra from HCF as function of gas pressure

 4.7.2023    High-order Harmonic Generation.  

 6.7.2023    Lab: Perform FROG measurements.

11.7.2023    Advanced attosecond sources.

13.7.2023    Review / Q&A.