The role of dispersion in ultrafast optics

In this article, we review the phenomenon of dispersion, paying particular attention to its impact in the optics of ultrashort pulses, as well as its measurement and management. At present, lasers generating coherent bandwidt hs of several hundred nanometers have been demonstrated and correspondingly short pulses of 10 fs or so are quite usual. The limits to the breadth of optical spectra and brevity of pulse durations that may be achieved are oft en set by the dispersive properties of the linear optical elements of which the source is constructed. Progress in ultrafast optics to date has theref ore relied extensively on the development of ways to characterize and manip ulate dispersion. The means by which this can be accomplished are significa ntly different for laser oscillators and laser amplifiers, as well as for n onlinear interactions that are used to extend the range of frequencies at w hich short optical pulses are available, but in all cases it is this phenom enon that determines the output of current optical sources. (C) 2001 Americ an Institute of Physics.