Michigan State University / Department of Chemistry


Chemical Applications of Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy

Chemistry 419/987, Fall Semester 2011

Prof. Warren F. Beck
office: 3 Chemistry
contact: see directory listing
web: research, Chemistry department brochure page (pdf)

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to the current experimental methods, theory, and applications for ultrafast laser spectroscopy in all areas of chemistry. The course is suitable for advanced undergraduates and for first- or second-year graduate students.

N.B. This course is cross-listed as CEM 419 and CEM 987. CEM 419 is the catalog slot for Independent Study for undergraduate students; 3 credits will be available from this course (formerly 2 credits; changed as of 10 April 2011). CEM 987 is the catalog slot for Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry I.

Outline

  1. Introduction to photophysics and photochemistry
  2. Femtosecond and picosecond lasers and temporal and spectral analysis of laser pulses in the visible and IR
  3. Introduction to nonlinear spectroscopy
  4. Pump–probe transient absorption spectroscopy
  5. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy: picosecond time-correlated single photon counting and femtosecond upconversion methods
  6. Photon-echo and transient-grating spectroscopy, with extension to 2D methods
  7. Shaped pulses and coherent control
  8. Additional topics (TBD, with student interest and time permitting).

Schedule

Lectures: Fall semester 2011; Tu/Th, 3:00–3:50 PM, room 085 Chemistry. Additional lecture time will be arranged with the class to account for 3 hours weekly.

Reading

Beck, W. F. Ultrafast Spectroscopy. In Encyclopedia of Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry; Moore, J. H., Spencer, N. D., Eds.; Institute of Physics Publishing: Bristol, England, 2001; Vol. II: Methods, p 1743 (pdf).

Reading List, v5, 3 October 2011 (pdf).

Articles for Presentations, 15 November 2011 (zip).

Lecture Notes

9. Finishing FVH vector picture, 13 October 2011 (pdf).
8. FVH vector picture, 12 October 2011 (pdf).
7. Fluorescence upconversion applications, 22 September 2011 (pdf).
6. Fluorescence upconversion and optical Kerr-gate detection, 20 September 2011 (pdf).
5. Fluorescence, 15 September 2011 (pdf).
4. Transition Dipole Moment, 13 September 2011 (pdf).
3. Pulses and Refractive Index (corrected), 8 September 2011 (pdf).
2. EM Waves, 6 September 2011 (pdf).
1. Introduction, 1 September 2011 (pdf)

15 November 2011