Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Temporal Pulse Tailoring Systems For Ultrafast Laser Induced Processes In Condensed Matter Temporal pulse tailoring consists of precisely manipulating the pulse shape of the ultrafast laser beam, opening the possibility to finely control the delivery of the energy when it interact with a condensed matter. Using a special evolutionary algorithm, the pulse shape could be adapted to optimise a specific process, such as materials transformation, modification and fabrication. The requested device will be integrated into an ultrafast laser that we already have, giving access to a fine control of the temporal pulse shape of the laser beam up to 26 ps. In addition, a pulse measurement device is necessary to obtain a better control of the pulse shaping and a pump probe set up is required to image the laser interaction with the materials. All these equipments will open up new fundamental and applied research in ultrafast laser induced processes in condensed matters. The following is a partial list of examples of new research activities that the applicants will undertake with these facilities: (i) Controlled and optimised laser induced microstructural transformation in absorbing materials for microelectronics applications; (ii) Temporal pulse tailored ultrafast laser induced processes into transparent dielectrics for the fabrication of three-dimensional efficient optoelectronic devices; (iii) Controlled and optimised ultrafast laser ablation of materials for fine micro/nano-machining; (iv) Temporal pulse tailored ultrafast laser processing of of ultrapure nanoparticles in liquids for biosensing, bio-imaging, therapy and pharmacology; (v) Controlled plasmonic enhanced ultrafast laser interactions with nanostructures for photothermal therapy of cancer. The acquisition of the temporal pulse tailoring systems will upgrade our actual systems and yield to a unique ultrafast laser facility in Canada, greatly increasing the capacity of innovation in various fields such as biomedicine, microelectronics, nanotechnologies and optoelectronics.