AU kursuskatalog arkiv

Ultrafast Science (Q2) ( efterår 2011 - 5 ECTS )

Rammer for udbud

• Uddannelsessprog: engelsk
• Niveau: Graduate course
• Semester/kvarter: 2nd quarter
• Timer per uge: 7
• Deltagerbegrænsning: None
• Undervisningssted: Århus
• Hovedområde: Det Naturvidenskabelige Fakultet
• Udbud ID: 32623

Formål

The tools and techniques for steering and tracing nuclear motion in atoms, molecules, and nanostructures form active research areas of femtosecond chemistry and physics. The corresponding tools and techniques for investigating the electronic motion are now becoming available, marking the birth of attosecond physics. In this course the experimental advances and the accompanying theory of femtosecond and attosecond time-resolved studies are discussed, and a selection of the implications across different sub-fields of physics and chemistry is covered. The aim of the course is to provide the students with an understanding of ultrafast time-resolved investigations.

Indhold

In the course, we will study ultrafast scientific phenomena. The course includes an introduction to femtosecond lasers on a level that allows for an understanding of experiments. The main focus of the course is on the application of femtosecond and attosecond time-resolved techniques in physics and chemistry. Through a number of examples, picked to represent a broad scope of methods and fields, we will learn about the complimentary kind of information that time-resolved studies can provide. The topics include strong-field phenomena, examples of pump-probe spectroscopy, ultrafast structural probes, ultrafast dynamics in solids, and orientation of molecules.

Please note that this course replaces the course "Femtosecond studies of atoms, molecules, liquids and solid" and can thus not be followed by students, who have already taken this course.

Faglige forudsætninger

Basic knowledge of lasers, corresponding to "Laserkemi og Optik" or "Laserfysik".  Quantum mechanics corresponding to "Kvantemekanik" or "Mikroskopisk Fysisk Kemi" , "Kemisk binding (Molekylær struktur)" and "Spektroskopi og struktur (Molekylær dynamik)"

Underviser

Peter Balling (Physics) (Ansvarlig), Lars Bojer Madsen (Physics) and Henrik Stapelfeldt (Chemistry).

Undervisnings- og arbejdsform

4 hours of lectures and 3 hours of problem class per week.

Litteratur

Notes and papers. Problems treated in the problem classes. Possible textbook to be decided.

Kursushjemmeside

http://www.aula.au.dk/

Eksamensterminer

Exam: 2. quarter

Re-exam: Arranged with lecturer

Udbyder

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Tilmelding til undervisning

At the Self-service http://mit.au.dk/

Læringsmål

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

• Explain the principles and selected implementations of femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy.
• Discuss strong laser field phenomena such as ionization and high-order harmonic generation and their origin using the 3-step model.
• Account for the generation and application of attosecond pulses.
• Explain how laser pulses can be used to control the spatial orientation of molecules.
• Discuss time-resolved diffraction.
• Explain ultrafast electronic and molecular processes on metal surfaces and different experimental approaches to their measurements. 
• Account for strong-field excitation of dielectric materials.
• Describe the phenomena in relation to ultrafast nonlinear optics.
• Explain the propagation of ultrashort laser pulses in dispersive media and perform corresponding quantitative calculations.
• Discuss the principles of mode-locking and describe specific mode-locking techniques. 
• Describe different methods for amplification and wavelength conversion of femtosecond pulses.
• Put into perspective the similarities and differences between different ultrafast time-resolved experimental methods.

Bedømmelse

• Oral examination with known questions without preparation. 24 min. per person.
• Grading according to the 7-point scale.
• Internal evaluator