MRI: Development of an Ultra-Fast Optical Spectroscopy System for Multi-Disciplinary Studies

技术综述：超快激光光谱学正日益成为研究材料性质的不可或缺的工具。然而，目前可用的仪器仍然有限，它们无法在广泛的光谱范围内常规探测多学科研究中使用的材料的多样性，具有足够的信噪比和时间分辨率，无法检测作为基本过程基础的微小变化。本项目旨在开发一种适用于多学科研究的宽光谱范围、超低噪声、超快的光谱仪器。该仪器将结合许多创新，包括在信噪比(超过10倍)、波长范围(远红外到紫外光)和时间分辨率(低于35飞秒)方面的显著改进。新的激光光谱仪将适用于广泛的多学科问题，包括多功能材料中的准粒子动力学、碳纳米管的带隙、生物能量转换中的分子事件、血红素蛋白对光的超快响应以及粘蛋白等生物聚合物的结构。拟议中的仪器将在波士顿大学光子学中心开发和操作，该中心是开发用于商业应用的先进光子原型设备的国家资源，并提供先进光子学技术的卓越教学和培训中心。参与该项目的核心教员将利用该工具加强外展计划，以确保多样化的学生群体获得最大限度的培训和研究机会。外行人摘要：超快激光产生的脉冲足够短，可以监测电子和原子在材料中的运动。这种基本运动在比现代台式计算机的运行速度快约一百万倍的时间尺度上发生，决定了材料的功能特性。因此，超快激光光谱学正日益成为研究材料性质不可缺少的工具。然而，目前可用的工具在探索多学科研究中使用的材料多样性方面的能力仍然有限。本项目旨在研制新一代超快光学光谱仪。几项能够显著提高速度和灵敏度的创新将使探索一系列重要的多学科问题成为可能，包括先进多功能材料的行为、碳纳米管的性质、生物能量转换中的分子事件以及粘蛋白等生物聚合物的结构。拟议中的仪器将在波士顿大学光子学中心开发和操作，该中心是开发用于商业应用的先进光子原型设备的国家资源，并提供先进光子学技术的卓越教学和培训中心。参与该项目的核心教员将利用该工具加强外展计划，以确保多样化的学生群体获得最大限度的培训和研究机会。

Technical Summary: Ultrafast laser spectroscopy is increasingly becoming an indispensable tool for studying the properties of materials. However, currently available instruments are still limited in their ability to routinely probe the diversity of materials used in multidisciplinary studies over a broad spectral range with sufficient signal-to-noise and temporal resolution to detect small changes which underlie fundamental processes. This project aims to develop a broad spectral range, ultra-low noise, ultrafast optical spectroscopy instrument suitable for multidisciplinary research. The instrument will incorporate many innovations including significant improvements in signal-to-noise (over 10-fold), wavelength range (far-IR to UV), and temporal resolution (less than 35 femtoseconds). The new laser spectroscopy instrument will be applicable to a broad range of multidisciplinary problems including quasiparticle dynamics in multifunctional materials, band gaps in carbon nanotubes, molecular events in biological energy conversion, ultrafast response of heme proteins to light, and the structure of biological polymers such as mucin. The proposed instrument will be developed and operated out of the Boston University Photonics Center, a national resource for development of advanced photonic prototype devices for commercial applications as well as providing a center for excellence in teaching and training in advanced photonics technology. The core faculty involved in this project will use the instrument to enhance outreach programs to assure the maximum opportunity for training and research by a diverse population of students. Layman Summary: Ultrafast lasers produce pulses which are short enough to monitor the motion of electrons and atoms in materials. Such fundamental motions, occurring on a timescale approximately one million times faster than the operating speed of modern desktop computers, determine the functional properties of materials. Hence, ultrafast laser spectroscopy is increasingly becoming an indispensable tool for studying the properties of materials. However, currently available instruments are still limited in their ability to probe the diversity of materials used in multidisciplinary studies. This project aims to develop a next generation ultrafast optical spectroscopy instrument. Several innovations enabling significant improvements in speed and sensitivity will make it possible to explore a range of important multidisciplinary problems including the behavior of advanced multifunctional materials, the properties of carbon nanotubes, molecular events in biological energy conversion and the structure of biological polymers such as mucin. The proposed instrument will be developed and operated out of the Boston University Photonics Center, a national resource for development of advanced photonic prototype devices for commercial applications as well as providing a center for excellence in teaching and training in advanced photonics technology. The core faculty involved in this project will use the instrument to enhance outreach programs to assure the maximum opportunity for training and research by a diverse population of students.