title: Interference effects in femtosecond spectroscopy.
abstract: This article aims to provide a short synopsis of interference effects connected with ultrafast laser pulses, where 'ultrafast' is defined as ca. 100 fs or faster. The discussion is divided into three parts: the first shows how interference between waves is responsible for generation of light pulses in the femtosecond and attosecond time domains; the second describes characterization of ultrafast pulses by different interferometric techniques, including diffraction of femtosecond light by a double slit; and the final section discusses selected measurements of interference phenomena created and probed with femtosecond time resolution, with an emphasis on experiments in atomic physics. The article attempts to illustrate how wave-like interference is a unifying concept that pervades much of physics on a femtosecond time-scale.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D007368:Interferometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*