IMR: Acquisition of Tunable Ultrafast Light Source for Materials Research and Student Training

来自材料研究计划仪器（IMR）的奖项将用于获得可调谐超快光源的仪器。 该设备与现有的固定波长放大飞秒激光系统相结合，将提供波长可调（0.3-10 μ m）脉冲，持续时间为100飞秒，功率接近1 GW。当与目前可用的太赫兹时域光谱技术相结合时，该设备将提供在从近紫外到远红外的光谱范围内可调谐的超快光脉冲。这种相干光源将允许使用时间分辨和非线性光谱技术探测材料的各种实验方法。 初步研究将侧重于将这些实验能力应用于以下三大主题：（一）绝缘体中的电荷传输：电子-声子耦合和极化子;（二）纳米结构中的电荷传输;和（三）纳米结构界面的振动光谱。 这些科学成果不仅在凝聚态和材料物理学的直接学科中具有重要意义，而且有可能影响几项重要技术。这些设备将大大提高凯斯西储大学的研究、教育和合作能力。 它还将通过正在进行的推广和教育计划影响克利夫兰和东北俄亥俄州地区的本科生和高中生。 该赠款将资助购买一种光源，用于测量新材料对快速光脉冲的反应。 该设备将提供持续时间极短、功率极高的可变波长脉冲。当与目前可用的能力相结合时，该设备将提供从近紫外到远红外的超快光脉冲。这将允许各种实验方法来探测材料，如绝缘体和半导体纳米结构。 这些科学成果不仅在凝聚态和材料物理学的直接学科中具有重要意义，而且有可能影响几项重要技术。 这些设备将大大提高凯斯西储大学的研究、教育和合作能力。 这些能力还将通过正在进行的推广和教育计划影响克利夫兰和东北俄亥俄州地区的本科生和高中生。

The award from the Instrumentation for Material Research programs (IMR) will be used to acquire instrumentation for a tunable ultrafast light source. The equipment, combined with an existing fixed-wavelength amplified femtosecond laser system, will provide wavelength-tunable (0.3-10 um) pulses of 100-femtosecond duration and powers approaching 1 GW. When combined with currently available capabilities for terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, the apparatus will provide ultrafast light pulses tunable over a spectral range from the near UV to the far infrared. This coherent light source will permit a variety of experimental approaches to probing materials using time-resolved and nonlinear spectroscopic techniques. Initial research will focus on the application of these experimental capabilities to the following three broad themes: (i) charge transport in insulators: electron-phonon coupling and polarons; (ii) charge transport in nanostructures; and (iii) vibrational spectroscopy of nanostructure interfaces. The scientific results will be of significance not only in their immediate disciplines of condensed-matter and materials physics, but also have the potential to influence several important technologies. The equipment will dramatically enhance capabilities for research, education, and collaboration at Case Western Reserve University. It will also impact undergraduate and high-school students in the Cleveland and Northeast Ohio area through ongoing outreach and education programs. %%%This grant will fund the acquisition of a light source for measuring how novel materials respond to rapid light pulses. The equipment will provide variable wavelength pulses of very short duration and extremely high power. When combined with currently available capabilities the apparatus will provide ultrafast light pulses from the near ultra-violet to the far infrared. This will permit a variety of experimental approaches to probing materials such as insulator and semiconductor nanostructures. The scientific results will be of significance not only in their immediate disciplines of condensed-matter and materials physics, but also have the potential to influence several important technologies. The equipment will dramatically enhance capabilities for research, education, and collaboration at Case Western Reserve University. These capabilities will also impact undergraduate and high-school students in the Cleveland and Northeast Ohio area through ongoing outreach and education programs.***