Optical parametric amplifier to study intense light-matter interactions

这项研究将由所要求的设备支持，旨在深入了解强超短光脉冲与物质分子和固体相互作用的方式。在分子中，它使我们能够理解电子是如何相互关联的，并对光激发做出集体反应。由于集体过程是复杂系统中大多数观察到的现象的原因，因此它在科学和技术中极为重要，但几乎尚未被探索。在固体中，它使我们能够理解光如何在三维空间中以纳米精度永久地改变材料特性。控制操作具有重要的技术意义，因为它可以制造嵌入式光子器件，但仍然难以捉摸。在生物系统中，我们的研究将提供更好的理解光破坏过程和方法，以尽量减少对健康组织的损害。所要求的设备包括发射可变波长强超短光脉冲的激光器和宽带光学系统。激光操作依赖于基于非线性光学的放大过程。由于光-物质相互作用的机制取决于光的波长，因此激光是至关重要的，因为它允许控制相互作用过程。本研究的预期结果是更好地理解复杂系统中的多电子动力学。这对于纳米光学、分子电子学、强场物理学和阿秒科学等新兴技术非常重要。加拿大在秒速科学方面处于世界领先地位，这项研究将巩固其领导地位。对固体的研究将导致控制物质中能量沉积的技术的发展。这样的控制使物质的纳米级操作成为可能。这将最终导致新型多功能光子器件的制造和原位修复，并为成像和进行激光手术提供新的生物诊断工具。

The research to be supported by the requested equipment intends to provide insight into the way intense ultrashort light pulses interact with matter - molecules and solids. In molecules, it allows us to understand how electrons are correlated and collectively respond to an optical excitation. Since collective processes are responsible for most of the observed phenomena in complex systems it is extremely important in science and technology yet almost unexplored. In solids, it allows us to understand how light can permanently modify material properties with nanometer precision in three dimensions. Controlled manipulation has technological significance as it enables fabrication of embedded photonic devices, but is still elusive. In biological systems, our research will provide a better understanding of the photodisruption process and ways to minimize damage to healthy tissues.      The equipment requested consists of a laser that emits intense ultrashort light pulses of variable wavelengths and broadband optics. The laser operation relies on an amplification process based on nonlinear optics. Since the mechanisms of light-matter interactions depend on the wavelength of light such a laser is crucial as it allows to control the interaction process.      The anticipated outcome of this research is a better understanding of multi-electron dynamics in complex systems. This is important for emerging technologies like nano-optics and molecular electronics and in strong field physics and attosecond science. Canada is a world leader in attosecond science and this research will consolidate its leadership role. Research on solids will lead to development of techniques to control energy deposition in matter. Such a control enables nanoscale manipulation of matter. This would ultimately lead to fabrication and in-situ repair of novel multifunctional photonics devices and provide new bio-diagnostic tools to image and perform laser surgery.