ULTRA

​​​The CLF's Ultra laser facility is housed with the Research Complex.

​Ultra uses a combination of kilohertz laser, detector and sample manipulation technology to study molecular dynamics (on the femtosecond to millisecond timescales) to address scientific problems in the physical and life sciences.  

A range of kilohertz ultrafast light sources provide multiple beams, multiple colours (UV to mid-IR), mixed timing patterns (fs-ms) and pulse length (40 fs, 50 fs, 120 fs, 2-3 ps, 0.8 ns and continuous wave).  Ultra has some of the world’s most sensitive time-resolved vibrational spectrometers used for investigations spanning from heterogeneous catalysis  to the dynamics of complex biological systems such as proteins.  Techniques include:-

• 2DIR -  Femtosecond pump probe 2DIR​
• TRIR -  Time resolved broadband IR spectroscopy 
• TRMPS -  Time resolved multiple probe spectroscopy (spanning femtosecond to millisecond timescales on one instrument, UV - Mid IR)
• Kerr Gate Raman -  Picosecond Raman with optical Kerr gate fluorescence suppression.
• SSFG -  Broadband surface sum frequency generation  
• Options on request for other non-linear spectroscopies such as Femtosecond Stimulated Raman, EVV, TR-2DIR etc   

A comprehensive range of diagnostic instrumentation and techni​ques are available. Ultra provides a flexible approach to experiments and can support equipment brought on site and there is access to the wide range of shared equipment available on the Harwell Campus.