Fundamental research in light:

Mutual interaction between light and matter:

FTOP (Femtosecond Time-Resolved Optical Polarigraphy) is used to capture the behavior of light in time periods too short to be observed with the naked eye. This technique makes it possible, for the first time, to capture femtosecond optical pulses propagating in a medium as consecutive snapshots, with a femtosecond time resolution.



This shows an example in which ultra-intense femtosecond pulses are propagated while being focused in atmosphere. The image was taken at intervals of 400 fs. To make the results easier to view, the brightness of the image in each individual frame has been magnified by the factor shown above the image.

Using non-linear optical crystals, researchers are striving to build light sources that can be flexibly tuned in regions ranging from the ultraviolet to the infrared.