Development of phase-modulated ultrashort laser pulse technology for probing molecular dynamics, optical switches and materials, and coherent control of multiphoton microscopy

在主要研究仪器（MRI）计划的支持下，Marcos Dantus和密歇根州立大学化学系的同事将开发相位调制超短激光脉冲技术，用于探测分子动力学，光学开关和材料，以及多光子显微镜的相干控制。研究人员将为两个独特的系统开发必要的技术，这两个系统基于超短飞秒（fs）脉冲，脉冲表征方法具有无与伦比的灵敏度，直接与主动相位和幅度补偿相关。 系统A将是一个超宽带宽低于9 fs的激光器，需要一个专门修改的振幅和相位调制器设置，以最大限度地减少色散并补偿三阶和四阶相位失真。 该光源将用于实现功能成像所需的分子探针的前所未有的选择性激发，例如，使用密歇根州立大学和其他地方开发的相干激光控制方法。 系统B将是一个放大的亚20 fs激光源，使用二维脉冲整形器来实现新材料和非线性发色团在宽带宽上的单次非线性光学激发光谱。 这将使用二进制脉冲整形技术结合一种新型的二维光相位调制器。 这一发展将提高非线性光学光谱的速度和精度的数量级。 一些与生物物理学、电信和先进材料有关的跨学科科学项目将从这些系统的开发中受益。

With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Marcos Dantus and colleagues in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University will develop phase-modulated ultrashort laser pulse technology for probing molecular dynamics, optical switches and materials, and coherent control of multiphoton microscopy. The investigators will develop the necessary technology for two unique systems based on ultrashort femtosecond (fs) pulses with pulse characterization methods with unparalleled sensitivity that is directly linked to active phase and amplitude compensation. System A will be an ultrabroad-bandwidth sub-9 fs laser that will require a specially modified amplitude and phase modulator setup that minimizes dispersion and compensates third and fourth order phase distortions. This source will be used to achieve unprecedented selective excitation of molecular probes, as required for functional imaging, for example, using coherent laser control methods developed at Michigan State University and elsewhere. System B will be an amplified sub-20 fs laser source using a two-dimensional pulse shaper to achieve single-shot nonlinear optical excitation spectra of novel materials and nonlinear chromophores over a broad bandwidth. This will use binary pulse shaping technology combined with a novel two-dimensional optical phase modulator. This development will enhance the speed and accuracy of nonlinear optical spectroscopy by orders of magnitude. A number of interdisciplinary scientific projects linked to biophysics, telecommunications, and advanced materials, will benefit from the development of these systems.