@article{SteinbacherBubackNuernbergeretal.2012,
  author    = {Steinbacher, Andreas and Buback, Johannes and N{\"u}rnberger, Patrick and Brixner, Tobias},
  title     = {Precise and rapid detection of optical activity for accumulative femtosecond spectroscopy},
  series = {Optics Express},
  journal   = {Optics Express},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-85913},
  year      = {2012},
  abstract  = {We present polarimetry, i.e. the detection of optical rotation of light polarization, in a configuration suitable for femtosecond spectroscopy. The polarimeter is based on common-path optical heterodyne interferometry and provides fast and highly sensitive detection of rotatory power. Femtosecond pump and polarimeter probe beams are integrated into a recently developed accumulative technique that further enhances sensitivity with respect to single-pulse methods. The high speed of the polarimeter affords optical rotation detection during the pump-pulse illumination period of a few seconds. We illustrate the concept on the photodissociation of the enantiomers of methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide. The sensitivity of rotatory detection, i.e. the minimum rotation angle that can be measured, is determined experimentally including all noise sources to be 0.10 milli-degrees for a measurement time of only one second and an interaction length of 250 μm. The suitability of the presented setup for femtosecond studies is demonstrated in a non-resonant two-photon photodissociation experiment.},
  language  = {en}
}