We are working on interactions of light with matter at extreme-short durations (billionth of millionth of seconds) and extreme hight intensities (trillions of Watts per square centimeter).

We use "ultrafast" pulses of laser, which last only a few hundred femtoseconds or less. Such such durations give us the possibility to control and measure phenomena which occur in this time scale. 

The short duration also brings very high peak powers, which cause myriads of nonlinear optical interactions. When we focus these pulses, we can ionize almost everything, including air.

With these high powers, we can also "machine" various materials. Since the pulse lasts so short, during the light absorption by the material, heat does not have time to move away from the irradiated zone. This means very high precision and quality. Structures even in nanometer range can be formed.

We also like to play with the light in space. For example, with some spatial tricks, we can make the light "accelerate" as it propagates. The central spot in the picture at left moves on a parabola as light propagates. This truly is a "ballistic light" and it truly is amazing.

Assoc. Prof. Selçuk Aktürk

Istanbul Technical University

Faculty of Science and Letters

Engineering Physics Department

34469 Maslak, Istanbul TURKEY

phone: +90 212 285 3205

email : selcuk.akturk [at] itu.edu.tr