Open AccessTi:sapphire, broadband vibrational sum-frequency generation spectrometer with a counter-propagating geometry
Author(s) -
Feng Ding,
Qin Zhong,
Michael R. Brindza,
John T. Fourkas,
Robert A. Walker
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.014665
Subject(s) - optics , spectrometer , broadband , sapphire , amplifier , range (aeronautics) , materials science , beam (structure) , physics , laser , optoelectronics , cmos , composite material
We report the development of a counter-propagating, broadband vibrational sum-frequency generation spectrometer based on a Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier. We present simple procedures for aligning the spectrometer and for setting the timing of the IR and visible pulses. We demonstrate that the use of this geometry offers a number of important advantages over a co-propagating geometry, including a high dynamic range, reduced nonresonant background signal at buried interfaces, and minimal beam deviation upon changing samples.