Pickering J. Ultrafast Lasers and Optics for Experimentalists 2ed 2025

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Pickering J. Ultrafast Lasers and Optics for Experimentalists 2ed 2025

Textbook in PDF format The aim therefore is to present the key information about the practical use of ultrafast lasers and optics in a way that is accessible to non-specialists who do not have the formal background in optics, electromagnetism, or laser physics that would be gained in a typical undergraduate physics course. Minimal prior knowledge is assumed (only that which may have been gained in typical undergraduate spectroscopy or quantum mechanics courses). Emphasis throughout is placed on a qualitative, intuitive understanding rather than dense mathematics. Hopefully it will allow students and researchers using these systems to not see lasers as a mysterious ‘ black box ’ that they use in their experiments, but to start to appreciate the underlying physics that drives them. As more and more research groups across the natural sciences are starting to use ultrafast laser systems in their research, I hope that this book can prove to be a useful companion for people moving into the field, both young and old. The structure of the book is divided into two parts. The first part, ‘ Fundamentals ’ , is written with the aim that it can bring a final year undergraduate student unfamiliar with ultrafast lasers up to speed quickly with accessible descriptions of the most important phenomena surrounding ultrafast laser physics. The basic principles of laser action will be discussed, alongside the properties of laser light and laser beams, with a special focus on those properties that particularly differentiate an ultrafast laser from a non-ultrafast laser. Useful phenomena within nonlinear optics will then be covered, focussing on those phenomena which are critical to a working understanding of ultrafast pulse generation and characterisation. The second part of the book, ‘ Practical ultrafast optics ’ , essentially aims to take the background presented in the first part and walk the student through ultrashort pulse generation, characterisation, and manipulation. Things that perhaps seem mundane to a more experienced campaigner, but can often seem bewildering to a new student (such as what to look for when buying optics) are discussed in detail. Techniques for the practical alignment of optical beamlines are written down and finally some examples of beamlines for ultrafast experiments are presented