MIR Spectral Domain and Femtosecond Amplifiers

This lecture covers the Mid-InfraRed (MIR) spectral domain, including frequency and wavelength ranges, the use of Ti:Sa femtosecond amplifiers, and the principles of quadratic nonlinear optics. It also discusses optical Kerr effect, second harmonic generation, and optical parametric amplification for MIR generation. The lecture explores experimental setups for MIR generation, measurement methods, and applications like pump-probe spectroscopy and the study of a photoenzyme. It delves into the generation of MIR femtosecond pulses, multitimescale pump-probe spectroscopy, and the dynamics of a photoenzyme. The lecture concludes with discussions on commercially-available MIR sources, two-stage MIR generation, and techniques like chirped pulse up-conversion and ADASOPS for time-resolved measurements.