Light-matter interactions at extreme scales

SUBTITLE: OBSERVING ULTRAFAST PHENOMENA

This course introduces how spectroscopy works at the atto- and femtosecond time scales, and demonstrates the detailed insights that these techniques provide into the quantum world of semiconductors, magnetic materials and photo-active molecules

Introduction: A short journey into the ultrafast universe
Chapter 1: Femtosecond laser sources (Mode-locking and chirped pulse amplification)
Chapter 2: Basics in non-linear optics à tuneable sources (Optical parametric amplification, High harmonic generation, attosecond pulses)
Chapter 3: Techniques of femtosecond spectroscopy (Pump-probe absorption & reflection (UV/VIS/mid-IR), X-ray spectroscopy & electron microscopy)
Chapter 4: Ultrafast Molecular Spectroscopy (Femtosecond Breaking and Making of Chemical Bonds, Ultrafast Photo-chemistry for Renewable Energies)
Chapter 5: Ultrafast Phenomena: Semiconductors and quantum materials (Femtosecond Excitons, electrons and phonons)
Chapter 6: Ultrafast Magnetisation Switching (Kerr and Faraday Spectroscopy, Spin Reversal & coupling with phonons)
Chapter 7: Theory of ultrafast light-matter interactions (From linear response to time-resolved spectroscopy, Non-linear spectroscopy)