Ultrashort pulse generation and measurement techniques

The first section will discuss the generation of picosecond and femtosecond laser pulses, their propagation and compression in optical fibers, and their amplification for nonlinear spectroscopic applications. Laser systems for different wavelength regimes and pulse measurement techniques will be described. The second section will extend the discussion of picosecond and femtosecond measurement to studies of ultrafast processes in materials. Pump-probe and transient four-wave-mixing methods will be analyzed. Examples of application to both molecular and solid state systems will be presented.