UCF’s Konstantin Vodopyanov is studying electro-optic sampling, which transmits ultrashort laser pulses through crystals that change in response to an applied electric field. “By using an optical pulse shorter than half a light wave’s cycle to probe it, the amplitude and phase of the wave can be fully characterized,” says Vodopyanov.

EOS allows researchers to study ultrafast phenomena and capture molecular spectra with high resolution. It also offers greater sensitivity than other models, allowing it to detect very faint signals. “It can even detect vacuum fluctuations -- the elusive ‘zero-point motion’ of the electromagnetic field — providing profound insights into the foundations of quantum physics.”

• Konstantin Vodopyanov