Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Seminar: "Sensing molecules with frequency combs" By Dr. Konstantin Vodopyanov 11.7.14/12:00-1:00pm/ CREOL 103

Seminar: "Sensing molecules with frequency combs" By Dr. Konstantin Vodopyanov
Friday, November 7, 2014 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
CREOL Room 103

Abstract:
Optical frequency combs produced in the visible spectral range by ultrafast mode-locked lasers have revolutionized precision spectroscopy and time metrology, culminating in the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics. I will present a new technique for extending frequency combs to the highly desirable yet difficult-to-achieve mid-infrared range - the region of fundamental molecular vibrational-rotational resonances (fingerprints). The technique is based on subharmonic optical parametric oscillation (OPO) that can be considered as a reverse of second harmonic generation. Using ultrafast erbium or thulium fiber lasers as a pump, we produce frequency combs that are approximately octave wide and centered around 3 µm or 4 µm in wavelength. I will talk about coherent properties of the generated mid-IR combs, as well as their applications for trace molecular detection.

Biography:
Konstantin L. Vodopyanov obtained his MS degree from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology ("Phys-Tech") and accomplished his PhD and DSc (Habilitation) in the Oscillations Lab. of Lebedev Physical Institute (later General Physics Inst.), led by Nobel Prize winner Alexander Prokhorov. He was an assistant professor at Moscow Phys-Tech (1985-90), Alexander-von-Humboldt Fellow at the University of Bayreuth, Germany (1990-92), and a Royal Society postdoctoral fellow and lecturer at Imperial College, London, UK (1992-98). In 1998, he moved to the United States and became head of the laser group at Inrad, Inc., NJ (1998-2000), and later director of mid-IR systems at Picarro, Inc.,CA (2000-2003). His other industry experience includes co-founding and providing technical guidance for several US and European companies. In 2003 he returned to Academia (Stanford University, 2003-2013) and is now a 21st Century Scholar Chair & Professor of Optics at CREOL, College of Optics & Photonics, Univ. Central Florida. Dr. Vodopyanov is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), Optical Society of America (OSA), SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering, UK Institute of Physics (IOP), and a Senior Member of IEEE. He has > 325 technical publications and is member of program committees for several major laser conferences including CLEO (most recent, General Chair in 2010) and Photonics West (Conference Chair). His research interests include nonlinear optics, laser spectroscopy, mid-IR and terahertz-wave generation, ultra broadband frequency combs and their biomedical applications.

For additional information:

Konstantin Vodopyanov

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