Femtosecond pump-probe experiments: selected topics

Femtosecond laser pulses, due to their ultra-short duration and enormous instantaneous powers, are an excellent tool for modifying photosensitive materials as well as investigating ultrafast processes. During the seminar, I will discuss the pump-probe method, in which one pulse of light is used to excite the medium, while the second one, precisely delayed in relation to the first one, enables the observation of the evolution of the medium. In particular, I will present the possibility of using this method to investigate processes occurring during the modification of materials with femtosecond laser pulses. I will also show the Femtosecond Time-Resolved Optical Polarigraphy technique, which enables the observation of the nonlinear propagation of a light pulse, along with the obtained results.