Professor R. Jason Jones – University of Arizona

Title: Frequency Comb Spectroscopy of Laser Produced Plasmas

When: Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 11am

Where: QMI 488

Abstract: In this talk I’ll give an overview of our work developing spectroscopic techniques with frequency comb sources from the XUV to the MIR. In particular, I’ll focus on our work studying basic aspects of atomic, ionic, and molecular formation in laser-produced plasmas (LPP’s) using dual-comb spectroscopy. Our interest in such LPP’s includes their use in sample preparation for precision atomic/molecular spectroscopy and material analysis as well as surrogates for studying chemical/nuclear explosions and formation of heavy elements within kilonova.

Bio: Professor R. Jason Jones holds the John Paul Schaefer Endowed Chair in Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. He leads a research group in experimental optical physics at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. His research interests include ultrafast optics, nonlinear light-matter interactions, high-precision optical spectroscopy, and the development and application of femtosecond frequency combs. Recent work focuses on novel architectures for optical atomic clocks and time-resolved dual-comb spectroscopy from the XUV to the MIR, including the first demonstration of its use in studying atomic, ionic, and molecular formation inside laser-produced plasmas. Dr. Jones has also been instrumental in the establishment of the annual Winter School and Workshop at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences as a nation-wide event to introduce undergraduates to research and career opportunities in the field of Optics and Photonics. Dr. Jones received his PhD from the University of New Mexico in 2001. He continued his work as a research associate at JILA (a joint institute of the University of Colorado and the National Institute of Standards and Technology), where he was supported by a fellowship from the National Research Council, working on the continued development and applications of fs frequency combs. In 2005 he demonstrated the up-conversion of frequency combs into the vacuum-ultraviolet for the first time. He continued to work as a Senior Research Associate of JILA until July 2006 when he left to join the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER award and DARPA’s Young Investigator awards and is a member of the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America. He holds two US patents and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles.