Femtosecond laser technologies

Whilst having relatively low average powers femtosecond lasers have exceptionally high peak powers that that last only for tens to hundreds of femtoseconds. When focussed the high peak pulse powers, with an energy density equivalent to that at the surface of the sun, enable materials to be modified at a fundamental level.

The Photonics Research Group has three femtosecond laser systems covering a range of repetition rates, peak pulse energies and wavelengths. This variety of systems allows us to work effectively in a number of different areas some of which are described below.

• Fabrication of fibre Bragg gratings
• Periodic planar devices
• Femtosecond micro-structured devices
• Femtosecond ablation