POWRE: Nonlinear Dynamics in Ultrafast Lasers

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ECS-9805888 Bolton An experimental study of nonlinear laser dynamics in the ultrafast (10-100fs) regime is proposed. This cross disciplinary work will bring together knowledge from two very active fields, ultrafast lasers and chaos/nonlinear dynamics. The opportunity to pursue this work arises due to recent advances in both fields. In ultrafast lasers, the development of new systems which are both more versatile and orders of magnitude more stable than previous laser systems allows precise measurements of dynamics that were not previously possible. In nonlinear dynamics, recent theoretical work on systems with many modes allows direct comparison of experiment with theory. The proposed experiments have two main goals. First, we will apply the techniques of nonlinear dynamics to ultrafast lasers, a highly nonlinear system with wide ranging technological importance. This new approach to understanding ultrafast lasers has the potential to make a substantial impact on laser development. Second, we hope to contribute to the field of nonlinear dynamics by providing precise dynamical measurements in a previously inaccessible regime. This work will be performed at Williams College, a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts institution with a strong tradition of undergraduate research. All of the experiments proposed will be carried out with undergraduate students in a central role. By participating in this research, students will receive a broad research training in lasers, optics and electronics, as well as in developing computer control for running measurements and analyzing data. The small scale of the experiments allows each student to perform complete and meaningful projects, including experimental design, data acquisition and analysis, and theoretical modeling. The PI for this project is currently in her third year as an assistant Professor at Williams. With the collaboration of four talented undergraduates, she has built an ultrafast laser system and started the developme nt of a series of novel measurement techniques which allow full analysis of the temporal, spectral, and spatial profiles of ultrafast laser pulse trains. Preliminary results obtained in the lab indicate that the laser system indeed provides a rich and well controlled new dynamical model system. Furthermore, initial use of our measurement techniques indicates their likely success. However, in order to perform complete measurements with the precision necessary for dynamical analysis, we require more advanced equipment than is currently available in our lab. The PI is entering the second half of her assistant professor years, and has shown significant promise in the classroom and in the laboratory. A POWRE grant will provide the essential equipment , supplies and time to help keep The PI focused in her academic career.