Rapid-scan pump–probe spectroscopy with high time and wave-number resolution: optical-Kerr-effect measurements of neat liquids

Abstract

A system for the rapid-scan (RS) acquisition of time-resolved nonlinear spectroscopic signals, capable of femtosecond resolution over a range of tens of picoseconds, is presented. Operationally, the system is based on a magnetically driven, commercially available velocity transducer that continuously scans a probe delay line relative to a fixed delay line while data are recorded on the fly and in real time. A simple calibration and data time-scale linearization are carried out and tested on optical-heterodyne-detected optical-Kerr-effect measurements. These results are compared with data acquired with a detection system that is based on a stepped delay-line lock-in amplifier. It is found that the RS system is favorable in several areas of signal acquisition, including signal-to-noise ratio, acquisition time, spectral resolution in the Fourier-transformed data, and immunity to artifacts such as baseline distortions.

© 1995 Optical Society of America

Absolute molecular optical Kerr effect spectroscopy of dilute organic solutions and neat organic liquids

Steven R. Vigil and Mark G. Kuzyk
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 18(5) 679-691 (2001)

High-speed femtosecond pump probe spectroscopy with a smart pixel detector array

S. Bourquin, R. P. Prasankumar, F. X. Kärtner, J. G. Fujimoto, T. Lasser, and R. P. Salathé
Opt. Lett. 28(17) 1588-1590 (2003)

Time-resolved coherent Raman spectroscopy by high-speed pump-probe delay scanning

S. R. Domingue, D. G. Winters, and R. A. Bartels
Opt. Lett. 39(14) 4124-4127 (2014)

Influence of self-diffraction effect on femtosecond pump-probe optical Kerr measurements

Lihe Yan, Juanjuan Yue, Jinhai Si, and Xun Hou
Opt. Express 16(16) 12069-12074 (2008)

Pump power dependence of Kerr signals in femtosecond cross pump-probe optical Kerr measurements

Lihe Yan, Jinhai Si, Feng Chen, Sen Jia, Yanpeng Zhang, and Xun Hou
Opt. Express 17(24) 21509-21514 (2009)