The KTH laser lab has extensive capabilities for design, fabrication, characterization and applications of nonlinear optical materials, custom coherent light sources, THz time-domain spectroscopy, material processing using lasers, multifunctional optical fibers, and others. The lab also has spectroscopy facilities that maintains state-of-the-art capabilities for characterization of ultrafast response in solid state materials by employing time-resolved angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, ultrafast electron microscopy, photoluminescence dynamics and time-resolved scanning near-field optical microscopy.
Key laser systems
CO2 lasers
Laser type: CW and pulsed CO2 lasers
Parameter summary: Repetition rate CW-50 kHz, Wavelength 9.2 -10.9 µm, Output power up to 60W.
Lasers from Synrad and Taufenbach, suitable for material processing, annealing, additive manufacturing.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate up to 1 kHz, Wavelength 780 nm-950 nm, Pulse length 100 fs - 200 ps, Pulse energy 1 mJ @ 1 kHz, Average power 1 W
Tunable Ti:Sapphire chirped pulse amplifier system from Coherent. Can be operated in fs and ps transform-limited pulse regimes. Adjustable repetition rate up to 1 kHz.
Ultrashort pulse Ti:Sapphire oscillator from Coherent. Used for seeding Astrella CPA system and as a source for ultrashort reference pulses in pump-probe and THz spectroscopy.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 1 kHz, Wavelength 1160 nm-2600 nm, Pulse length 50 fs, Pulse energy 1.7 mJ signal and idler at peak, Average power 1.7 W
Tunable optical parametric amplifier for time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy, Mid-infrared generation.
Laser type: Nd:YAG, single-frequency Q-switched master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA)
Parameter summary: Repetition rate up to 100 Hz, Wavelength 1064 nm, Pulse length 10 ns, Pulse energy 200 mJ @ 100 Hz, Average power 20 W, Pulse bandwidth: transform-limited
Injection-seeded, Q-switched diode-pumped laser from Innolas. Employed for generation of mid-infrared with optical parametric systems and THz. Suitable for LIDAR emitter prototyping.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 80 MHz, Wavelength 750 nm-1000 nm, Average power 1.5W @ 800 nm, Pulse length 80 fs
Tunable Ti:Sapphire oscillator from Spectra Physics. A general-purpose old-school femtosecond source used for seeding chirped pulse amplifier, for THz time-domain spectroscopy and others.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 1 kHz, Wavelength 800 nm, Pulse length 33 fs, Pulse energy 7.5 mJ @ 1 kHz, Average power 7.5 W
Short pulse Ti:Sapphire chirped pulse amplifier system from Coherent. A general light engine used to pump Optical parametric amplifiers, THz generation, filamentation and other applications.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate up to 1 kHz, Wavelength 780 nm-950 nm, Pulse length 100 fs - 200 ps, Pulse energy 1 mJ @ 1 kHz, Average power 1 W
Tunable Ti:Sapphire chirped pulse amplifier system from Coherent. Can be operated in fs and ps transform-limited pulse regimes. Adjustable repetition rate up to 1 kHz.
Ultrashort pulse Ti:Sapphire oscillator from Coherent. Used for seeding Astrella CPA system and as a source for ultrashort reference pulses in pump-probe and THz spectroscopy.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 1 kHz, Wavelength 1160 nm-2600 nm, Pulse length 50 fs, Pulse energy 1.7 mJ signal and idler at peak, Average power 1.7 W
Tunable optical parametric amplifier for time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy, Mid-infrared generation.
Laser type: Nd:YAG, single-frequency Q-switched master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA)
Parameter summary: Repetition rate up to 100 Hz, Wavelength 1064 nm, Pulse length 10 ns, Pulse energy 200 mJ @ 100 Hz, Average power 20 W, Pulse bandwidth: transform-limited
Injection-seeded, Q-switched diode-pumped laser from Innolas. Employed for generation of mid-infrared with optical parametric systems and THz. Suitable for LIDAR emitter prototyping.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 80 MHz, Wavelength 750 nm-1000 nm, Average power 1.5W @ 800 nm, Pulse length 80 fs
Tunable Ti:Sapphire oscillator from Spectra Physics. A general-purpose old-school femtosecond source used for seeding chirped pulse amplifier, for THz time-domain spectroscopy and others.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 1 kHz, Wavelength 800 nm, Pulse length 33 fs, Pulse energy 7.5 mJ @ 1 kHz, Average power 7.5 W
Short pulse Ti:Sapphire chirped pulse amplifier system from Coherent. A general light engine used to pump Optical parametric amplifiers, THz generation, filamentation and other applications.
Parameter summary: Wavelength center 1030nm, Average power 10W, repetition rate up to 1MHz, pulse energy up to 1mJ, pulse length 190fs to 20ps.
Femtosecond laser from Light Conversion, with highly tunable repetition rates, pulse energies, and pulse lengths and excellent beam quality. The maser oscillator has fine-tuning for advanced pulse synchronization options.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 0 - 2 MHz, Wavelength 1030 nm, Pulse length 300 fs - 10 ps, Pulse energy 200 µJ @ 250 kHz, Average power 50 W
Fiber laser from Amplitude Systemes. Equipped with 2nd and 3rd harmonic generation module. Equipped with a Fastlite OPA for 650nm to 9µm with pulse energies up to 12µJ.
Laser type: Ti:Sapphire oscillator with pulse selector and harmonics generator
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 80 MHz, Tuning range 680 nm-1080 nm, Average power 2.5W @ 800 nm, Pulse length 200 fs. Harmonics generator: tuning range 210 nm -530 nm, power 200 mW @260 nm, 500 mW @ 400 nm.
Automated tunable Ti:Sapphire oscillator from Coherent. Used for excitation and probing luminescence and as a pump source for near-field optical scanning microscopy.
Parameter summary: Wavelength center 1030nm, Average power 10W, repetition rate up to 1MHz, pulse energy up to 1mJ, pulse length 190fs to 20ps.
Femtosecond laser from Light Conversion, with highly tunable repetition rates, pulse energies, and pulse lengths and excellent beam quality. The maser oscillator has fine-tuning for advanced pulse synchronization options.
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 0 - 2 MHz, Wavelength 1030 nm, Pulse length 300 fs - 10 ps, Pulse energy 200 µJ @ 250 kHz, Average power 50 W
Fiber laser from Amplitude Systemes. Equipped with 2nd and 3rd harmonic generation module. Equipped with a Fastlite OPA for 650nm to 9µm with pulse energies up to 12µJ.
Laser type: Ti:Sapphire oscillator with pulse selector and harmonics generator
Parameter summary: Repetition rate 80 MHz, Tuning range 680 nm-1080 nm, Average power 2.5W @ 800 nm, Pulse length 200 fs. Harmonics generator: tuning range 210 nm -530 nm, power 200 mW @260 nm, 500 mW @ 400 nm.
Automated tunable Ti:Sapphire oscillator from Coherent. Used for excitation and probing luminescence and as a pump source for near-field optical scanning microscopy.
Type of experiment: Glass preform fabrication, 3D laser printing, laser cutting and scribing, sample annealing
Description: 3D printing of structures in different glasses, composite glass-semiconductor preform fabrication and processing, material cutting and scribing
Beam parameters: CO2 lasers and CO laser with power up to 200W
Type of experiment: Custom fiber Bragg grating fabrication in optical fibers
Description: Fabrication of custom fiber Bragg gratings and fiber optic components such as Fabry-Perot interferometers for lasers and distributed sensors
Beam parameters: Repetition rate 0.1-30 kHz, Wavelength 213 nm, Pulse length 7 ns, Pulse energy 15 µJ, Average power 170 mW at 11 kHz, beam M2<1.6
Type of experiment: Nonlinear pulse compression, generation of near-, mid- and far-infrared ultrashort pulses using custom nonlinear materials, characterization of the nonlinear optical materials
Description: Design and realization of ultrashort pulse coherent sources from near-to far infrared using engineered nonlinear materials. Characterization of the nonlinear materials in terms of damage threshold, conversion efficiency, light-induced color-center dynamics.
Beam parameters: Pump energies up to 200 mJ, pulse lengths from 10 ns to 30 fs, repetition rate up to 1 KHz, adjustable
Type of experiment: Reflection and transmission THz spectroscopy using femtosecond pump-probe approach
Description: Home-built spectrometers suitable for measuring spectra of complex dielectric constant of any material within the spectral range up to 3 THz.
Beam parameters: Frequency range 3 THz, Dynamic range >50 dB, spectral resolution 5 GHz. Employs photoconductive antenna emitter and electrooptic detection.
Auxiliary equipment: Home-built computer-controlled fully automated system for data collection and parameter extraction.
Type of experiment: Development of custom lasers according to the requirements of an application, customization of commercial lasers to suit user's needs
Description: Design and prototyping of CW, Q-switched and mode-locked solid state and fiber lasers and amplifiers, design and realization of frequency conversion stages. The work is performed on a project basis.
Beam parameters: -
Auxiliary equipment: All design tools and equipment in the lab can be deployed as needed. This includes pump lasers, fiber processing equipment, and spectrometers.
High rep rate XUV Beamline for time-resolved-ARPES
Type of experiment: Time- and Angle Resolved PhotoElectron Spectroscopy (tr-ARPES)
Description: High-order harmonic generation (HHG) in tight focusing geometry using continuous gas jet. Followed by spectral selection and spectroscopy stations. Sample preparation and handling.
Auxiliary equipment: ARPES end station featuring, Time-of-Flight spectrometer THEMIS, cryo-cooled manipulator <10 K, preparation chamber with LEED and fast entry load-lock. Vacuum system <10^-10mbar, Pump-probe with pump wavelength 650nm-9µm.
Type of experiment: Time resolved electron microscopy, spectroscopy and diffraction
Description: Time-resolved transmission electron microscopy (pump probe). Total electron resolution < 1 ps, energy resolution < 2 eV, lateral resolution 1 nm in imaging and 1 Å in diffraction
Time-resolved photoluminescence and pump-probe spectroscopy
Type of experiment: Time-resolved photoluminescence with temporal resolution of 5ps, differential transmission and reflection measurements with temporal resolution of 200 fs.
Description: Time-resolved photoluminescence and differential transmission/reflection measurements integrated over the sample area of tens µm2.
Time- and spatially resolved near-field photoluminescence microscopy
Type of experiment: Time- and spatially resolved near-field photoluminescence and surface morphology measurements.
Description: Mapping of PL properties (spectra, dynamics) as well as surface morphology over a certain area with 100 nm spatial and 50 ps temporal resolution.
