Ultra fast laser spectroscopy: An overview

M. Hari Krishna*, A. Ajitha, G. Naga sowjanya, Dr. V. Uma Maheshwara Rao
Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Quality Assurance, CMR College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad

Abstract
Ultrafast laser technology and spectroscopy involves the use of femtosecond laser and other (particle) sources to study the properties of matter. The extremely short pulse duration allows one to create, detect and study very short-lived transient chemical reaction intermediates and transition states. Ultrafast lasers can also be used to produce laser pulses with enormous peak powers and power densities. This leads to applications such as laser machining and ablation, generation of electromagnetic radiation at unusual wavelengths (such as millimeter waves and X-rays), and multi photon imaging. More routinely, femtosecond lasers can be used to detect and monitor transient chemical species in solution or the gas phase, to image living cells with micrometer resolution, for laser ablation mass spectrometry (MS) micromachining applications, which will all be of immediate interest to the analytical chemist.
Keywords: Laser basics, femtosecond laser pulse, wavelength compression.