ROCKY MOUNTAIN SECTION OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA & IEEE LASERS AND ELECTROOPTICS SOCIETY April Meeting Date: Thursday, 18 Apr. 2002 Time: 7:00 PM refreshments, 7:30 PM talk Place: National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Lab 1850 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, CO Damon Room Title: From Femtoseconds to Attoseconds --- from Coulomb Explosions to Writing Waveguides Paul Corkum Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences National Research Council of Canada Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0R6 Abstract: Even a low energy femtosecond optical pulse (now less than 5 fs) can reach very high power and can be focussed to such high intensity that no material can withstand it. Focussed onto atoms, the nonlinearity of ionizing atomic gases produces the worldıs shortest pulses -- 650 attoseconds. Focussed onto molecules, we can ask the molecule to take its own image by electron diffraction. Focussed onto a surface, the material is machined with very little peripheral damage. Focussed into the bulk of a transparent dielectric we can gently and controllably modify it. We change the refractive index of transparent dielectric materials without otherwise damaging them. We can write excellent waveguides in bulk SiO_2 anywhere in three-dimensional space. Biography: Paul Corkum started his career as a theoretical physicist but changed to experiment when he arrived at NRC. At NRC he first worked on laser technology development. With the rapid advance of high power laser technology, intense femtosecond laser pulses are now being applied in every discipline. Dr. Corkum introduced many of the concepts on which strong field science is built. In his talk he will outline some of the science and technology that he and his colleagues are developing at NRC. Paul corkum is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the recipient of the Canadian Association of Physicists gold medal for lifetime achievement, Canadaıs highest physics award.