Ultrafast Phenomena: A Laboratory Experiment for Undergraduates

We present a set of experiments that introduce students to ultrafast science. We discuss the relationship between the description of an ultrashort laser pulse in the frequency domain and the time domain. Using experimental results we demonstrate that this relationship is constrained by the lower limit of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Students carrying out the experiments will become familiar with ultrafast techniques, such as autocorrelation and laser cavity design, as well as various other concepts such as dispersion, Fourier transformation, interference, and nonlinear optics.

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