Ultra-fast Material Metrology

This book is the first to describe novel measurement techniques of processes during laser-matter interaction using ultra-fast lasers. Targeted at both engineers and physicists, initial chapters address the working tools, the history of laser ultra-fast metrology, an overview of ultra-fast laser sources, and the fundamentals of laser radiation-matter interaction. Ultra-fast laser radiation is discussed in chapter 4, while further chapters describe the methodology of pump and probe in practice, as well as applications for pump and probe metrology in engineering, including spectroscopy and imaging techniques. Chapter 7 describes the perspectives for this new field of research and predicts the metrology of the future, showing new potential applications of laser sources and new detectors in combination with improved pump and probe methods.

Alexander Horn has been Senior Scientist at the chair for Laser Technology (LLT) of the RWTH Aachen since 2003, and Group Leader of the Ultrafast-Technology group since 2004. He studied Physics in Siegen, Germany, and graduated in 2003 to Dr. rer. nat. with "suma cum laude". In March 2008 he starts a new position as a representative professor at the Institute for Physics of the University of Kassel (Germany). His main field of research is the ultra-fast detection of laser-induced processes, especially the development & usage of novel pump & probe techniques. He has authored over 40 scientific publications.