MRI: Development of Resonant Cavity-Based UV and Mid-IR Remtosecond Laser Light for Direct and Pump-Probe Photoemission Spectroscopy

University Of Colorado At Boulder, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports instrument development at the University of Colorado. Resonant-cavity-based sum and difference frequency generation will be used to produce the highest intensity to date of high repetition-rate femtosecond laser light in the difficult-to-obtain UV and mid-IR spectral regimes. The laser developments will be useful for a diverse set of studies in physics, chemistry, and biology. The principal scientific motivation is to utilize the light for the brand new techniques of laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and pump-probe laser based ARPES for the study of electron dynamics. Among the problems to be addressed are the physics of high temperature superconductors (HTSC) and colossal magnetoresistive (CMR) oxides, as well as the chemistry of excited state dynamics in surface reactions and desorption. This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports instrument development at the University of Colorado. Researchers at the University of will develop new capability to generate the highest intensity to date of very short laser pulses (femtosecond time scale) at a high repetition-rate (~100 million pulses per second) in the difficult-to-obtain ultravioler and mid-infrared spectral regimes. The laser developments should be useful for a diverse set of studies in physics, chemistry, and biology. The high power laser lights willbe used to perform photoelectron spectroscopy, which is a technique to study the quantum mechanical energies and motions of electrons in various materials. Among the problems to be addressed are the physics of high transition temperature superconductors (HTSC) and colossal magnetoresistive (CMR) oxides, as well as the nature of chemical reactions which occur at surfaces.