Aims and Objectives

Nonlinear optics is the field dealing with the interaction of matter with high intensity laser light. Optical Materials Research Group (Optik Malzemeler Araştırma Grubu-OMAG) is interested in developing novel nonlinear optical materials to be used for various nonlinear optical applications.

Research Interests

There are two research laboratories: 1) Optical Materials Fabrication and Characterization Laboratory 2) Ultrafast Laser and Spectroscopy laboratory.

In optical materials fabrication and characterization lab, it is possible to produce thin films with systems such as spin-coating and high vacuum thermal evaporation. The thickness and the thickness variation throughout the thin films can be characterized by a Spectroscopic Ellipsometer. There are also two pulsed YAG laser systems with 4 nanosecond and 65 picosecond pulse durations giving 1064 nm and 532 nm wavelengths. This laboratory has automated experimental setups to characterize the nonlinear optical properties such as nonlinear absorption and refraction.

In the ultrafast laser and spectroscopy lab, there is a femtosecond (35 fs) pulsed laser system. This system contains Ti:Sapphire laser oscillator, regenerative amplifier and optical parametric amplifier. Nonlinear optical properties of the materials are characterized with the computer controlled experimental setups. The lifetime of the nonlinear absorption/ saturation properties of the materials can be measured via pump-probe spectroscopy experimental setup, with less than 100 fs resolution. This measurement explains the mechanism contributing to nonlinear optical response of the materials therefore, giving an opportunity to optimize the optical response of the material for any technological application.

Non-linear optical materials can be used not only for technological applications like optical data storage, optical switching, optical communication, optical computers, optical detectors and optical limiters but also for medical science applications such as photo-dynamic therapy.