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Fundamentals of Attosecond Science and Technology (FAST)

By Prof. Sivarama Krishnan   |   IIT Madras
Learners enrolled: 132
ABOUT THE COURSE:
The 2023 Nobel prize in Physics recognized the pioneers of attosecond physics. In the first course of its kind in India, we will present a unified Iearning and training module on the fundamentals of attosecond science and technology, or ULTRAFAST. In this course we will learn Unprecedented Temporal Resolution, Real-time Observation of Electron Dynamics, Controlling Matter at the Atomic and Molecular Level and applications to science and technology. This course will be a perfect platform to blend the fundamentals with the state of the art in attosecond science and technology.

INTENDEN AUIDENCE: Advanced undergraduate, Masters’ and PhD students in physics, electrical engineering, photonics, optoelectronics and other related areas.

PRE-REQUISITES: Basic knowledge of optics and electromagnetism. A knowledge of quantum mechanics will be an advantage but is not essential. Requisites will be covered in the course. 

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: This is mostly for advanced further academic studies and research.
Summary
Course Status : Upcoming
Course Type : Elective
Language for course content : English
Duration : 12 weeks
Category :
  • Physics
Credit Points : 3
Level : Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date : 20 Jan 2025
End Date : 11 Apr 2025
Enrollment Ends : 27 Jan 2025
Exam Registration Ends : 14 Feb 2025
Exam Date : 04 May 2025 IST

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.


Page Visits



Course layout

Week 1 :
Introduction to light pulses and electromagnetic waves
Recap of differential equations and Fourier transforms
Week 2 : 
Femtosecond laser pulse generation – methods and techniques
Metrology of femtosecond laser pulses – techniques and analysis
Week 3 :
Femtosecond laser systems – design and implementation
Primer on nonlinear optics – second- and third-harmonic generation, phase-matching
Week 4 :
Generation of few-cycle optical pulses; Carrier-envelope phase, frequency and their measurement;
Application of CEP phase metrology to light-field driven electronics;
Week 5 :
Interim review and discussions
Beyond perturbative nonlinear optics – multi-photon and tunnel-ionization;
Week 6 :
Theoretical basis of strong-field physics – basic concepts and application to high-harmonic generation;
Electron wavepackets – basic concepts;
Week 7 : 
High-order harmonic generation – genesis of attosecond pulse generation; 
Metrology of attosecond pulse trains – RABBITT technique;
Week 8 :
Theoretical treatment of RABBITT technique
Generation of isolated Attosecond pulses;
Week 9 :
Streaking and metrology of isolated attosecond pulses;
Application of streaking to chronoscopy - Time-delays in photoionization;
Week 10 :
Coherent dynamics on the attosecond timescale – Fano and Lorentz lineshape and their control;
High-harmonic generation in solids – metrology and spectroscopy;
Week 11 :
Future directions – zeptosecond physics, free-electron lasers and attosecond electron pulses.
Week 12 :
Term paper and seminar presentations
Term paper and seminar presentations

Books and references

1. Fundamentals of Attosecond Physics, Z. Chang, Cambridge University Press;
2. Femtosecond laser pulses, J. -C. Rulliere (ed.), Springer;
3. Ultrashort laser pulse phenomena, J. Diels and Rudolph, Wiley.

Instructor bio

Prof. Sivarama Krishnan

IIT Madras
Prof. Sivarama Krishnan is associate professor at the Department of Physics, and member of the Quantum Center for Diamond and Emergent Materials, Indian Institute of Technology Madras. His research interests are in quantum and ultrafast laser-matter interaction. He has taught courses on ultrafast science, optics and photonics, atomic and molecular physics and lasers for several years now. Earlier he co-led a Max Planck Partner group on scaling electron dynamics on attosecond and nanoscale to investigate quantum dynamics in these systems. He held post doctoral positions at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and IBM – Semiconductor R&D center after graduating with a Ph. D. from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.
The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).
Date and Time of Exams: May 4, 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.
Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.
The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.
Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Madras .It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team


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