Lecture Notes

Below is a selection of lecture notes that approximate chronologically the topics and themes listed on the calendar.


LEC # TOPICS LECTURE NOTES
1 Introduction to Ultrafast Optics Chapter 1 (PDF)
2-4 Maxwell-Bloch Equation

Two-Level Atoms and Rabi Flopping

Dispersion, Absorption, Gain
Chapter 2 (PDF)
5-8 Nonlinear Pulse Propogation

Pulse Compression

Self-Phase Modulation (SPM) and Solitons

Soliton Pertubation Theory
Chapter 3 (PDF - 2.4 MB)
9-10 Rate Equations and Relaxation Oscillation

Q-Switching
Chapter 4 (PDF)
11 Master Equation and Active Mode-Locking Chapter 5 (PDF)
12-13 Passive Mode-Locking with Fast Saturable Absorbers

Passive Mode-Locking with Slow Saturable Absorbers
Chapter 6 (PDF)
14-15 Artificial Saturable Absorber Mode-Locking (APM and KLM)

Kerr-Lens Mode-Locking (KLM)
Chapter 7 (PDF - 1.0 MB)
16 Semiconductor Saturable Absorber Mode-Locking Chapter 8 (PDF)
17-18 Pulse Characterization I - Autocorrelation

Pulse Characterization II - FROG and SPIDER
Chapter 10 (PDF)
19-20 Noise in Mode-Locked Lasers

Frequency Metrology
Chapter 9 (PDF)
21 Ultrafast Measurement Techniques Chapter 11 (PDF)
22 Pulse Amplification Chapter 12 (PDF)
23 Optical Parametric Amplification (OPA) and Optical Parametric Oscillation (OPO)
24 Broadband Parametric Amplification
25 High-Harmonic Generation and Seeded Free-Electron Lasers
26 Ultrafast Optics Group Lab Tour