Improvement of ultrafast laser pump-probe detection technology: automated data acquisition, real-time visualization, and practical application

Laser technology is widely used in medicine, engineering, manufacturing and other fields, including laser therapy for cancer, laser printers, laser radar, and aesthetics. Currently, the issues of human errors and noise in experiments with this technology are challenging to resolve. This paper is to delve into the fundamental principles and practical applications of ultrafast laser pump-probe detection technology. This innovative technique involves utilizing ultrafast laser pulses to stimulate a material, followed by employing a probe light with adjustable delay to gauge changes in transmittance or reflectivity. It also involves constituting the pump-probe detection approach. Initially employed to explore electronic transitions within bands of metals and semiconductors, this technology has evolved rapidly and found widespread utility in investigating intricate oxides and electronic system materials like conventional superconductors, high-temperature superconductors, topological insulators, and multiferroic materials. It has demonstrated distinct advantages in studying spin dynamics and complex multi-body phenomena. Capable of capturing processes at the femtosecond scale, the ultrafast pump detection system holds significant relevance across physics, biology, chemistry, and medicine. This study scrutinized the principles underpinning ultrafast laser pump-probe detection technology and established a comprehensive measurement system using LabVIEW in tandem with other ouipment, enabling automated data acquisition and real-time visualization and streamlining the experimental workload. Furthermore, the integration of optical choppers and lock-in amplifiers effectively mitigated noise interference during the experiment.