Acquisition of a solid-state laser, optical table and femtosecond pulse-measurement system for undergraduate research in optics

这项MRI奖励提供资金，用于购买固态激光器、光学台、功率计和飞秒脉冲测量系统，以实施包括散射、非线性光学和超快激光在内的光学本科研究项目。将以该设备开始的研究包括以下内容。(1)非线性材料球的散射，包括硫化镉和蓝宝石，以表征非线性机制，研究克尔和光折变非线性引起的自脉冲行为，并测量这些材料中依赖于强度的高阶色散。(2)激光腔中利用棱镜和变形镜进行像差校正和脉冲压缩的研究。(3)采用非线性材料的非标准锁模腔设计试验。(4)用复源点理论计算形状匹配的非球面镜腔中空光束电磁模的激发。(5)测量非对称声悬浮染料液滴的激光发射。该设备将加强圣本尼迪克特学院和圣约翰大学的光学本科生研究计划。CSB是一所女子学院，SJU是一所男子学院，与联合班级和院系共用一门课程。物理系提供物理和应用物理专业，强调高级实验室经验和学年师生研究。在过去的十年里，光学研究一直是最受专业欢迎的选择，大多数学生继续从事物理专业的研究生工作

This MRI award provides funds for the purchase of a solid-state laser, optical table, power meter and femtosecond pulse-measurement system for implementing undergraduate research projects in optics, including scattering, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast lasers. The research to be commenced with the equipment encompasses the following. (1) Scattering from spheres of nonlinear materials, including CdS and sapphire, to characterize nonlinear mechanisms, study self-pulsing behavior due to Kerr and photorefractive nonlinearities, and measure intensity-dependent high-order dispersion in these materials. (2) Studies of aberration-correction and pulse-compression using prisms and deformable mirrors in laser cavities. (3) Tests of non-standard mode-locking cavity designs using nonlinear materials. (4) Excitation of hollow-beam electromagnetic modes in cavities with non-spherical mirrors matching shapes computed from complex-source-point theory. (5) Measurements of laser emission from asymmetric, acoustically-levitated dye droplets. The equipment will enhance the undergraduate research program in optics at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University. CSB, a womens college, and SJU, for men, share a common curriculum with joint classes and departments. The physics department offers majors in physics and applied physics, emphasizing advanced laboratory experience and academic-year student-faculty research. Research in optics has been the most popular choice for majors in the past decade, and the majority of the students go on to graduate work in physics