Lasers have become an essential light source in spectroscopic applications due to their inherent coherence and intensity. These properties enable both time (fs) and spacial (nm) resolutions required to study materials at the nanoscopic to microscopic level and also their dynamics in femtosecond to seconds time scale. In this talk we will present various applications of laser spectroscopy, particularly vibrational spectroscopy, in physics, biology and medicine.
Understanding molecular movements in the time scales on bond specific vibrational periods have become the focus of recent research with a hope to understanding physical, chemical and biological processes in real time, as in slow motion capture. The third order non-linear susceptibility response of a system using stimulated Raman scattering processes leads to observation of evolution of vibrational structures in femtosecond time scales. We would show examples of energy migration and coherent oscillation of coupled vibrational modes which provide information on how molecules move and how the environment impacts the dynamics. In the case of biology and medicine, we would present results of both infrared and Raman microscopic approaches to studying tissues, cell-drug interactions, and lab-on-chip applications.