Speaker
Abstract content <br>(Max 300 words)<br><a href="http://indico.saip.org.za/getFile.py/access?resId=0&materialId=2&confId=28" target="_blank">Special Chars</a>
It has been shown that a two dimensional phase only spatial light modulator (SLM) can be used to do arbitrary temporal beam shaping. This is significant because the transfer function in general requires both amplitude and phase modulation to be applied to the spectrum of a laser pulse. The amplitude and phase modulation is implemented using blazed gratings in a specific configuration to affect spectral shaping. We build on this technique by introducing the ability to split the input light beam into multiple beams with another 2D SLM at the input. Each individual beam can now be temporally shaped using the same spectral shaping technique and a single 2D SLM in a standard 4f geometry in combination with the appropriate gratings. We further show how the central wavelength of the beams can be offset linearly with respect to each other, allowing each beam to have its own central wavelength. This technique has applications in high power physics where lasers with ultra short pulses and ultra high instantaneous power are used to selectively excite and probe specific energy level transitions, which in turn has application in coherent control as well as fluorescence microscopy.
