Konstantin Vodopyanov MIR Group
Our group uses ultrafast lasers to generate frequency combs covering an unprecedented frequency range – from 1 terahertz (1012 Hz, submillimeter range) to 1 petahertz (1015 Hz, UV spectral range) – and explores their diverse applications. These include dual frequency comb spectroscopy to achieve record-high resolution of molecular spectra in the UV–mid-infrared–terahertz range, ultrasensitive detection of trace molecules and their isotopologues, biomedical research aimed at early diagnosis of various health conditions, and spectroscopic study of fast chemical processes.
5-minute Lab Tours

The book “Laser-based Mid-infrared Sources and Applications” by K.L. Vodopyanov gives a comprehensive overview of the existing methods for generating coherent light in the important yet difficult-to-reach mid-infrared region of the spectrum (2–20 μm) and their applications. It describes major approaches for mid-infrared light generation including ion-doped solid-state lasers, fiber lasers, semiconductor lasers, and laser sources based on nonlinear optical frequency conversion, and reviews a range of applications: spectral recognition of molecules and trace gas sensing, biomedical and military applications, high-field physics and attoscience, and others. Every chapter starts with the fundamentals for a given technique that enables self-directed study, while extensive references help conduct deeper research.
Latest News
- October 31, 2024. We generated an ultraviolet (UV) frequency comb with an unprecedented one million comb lines. Paper: A. Muraviev, D. Konnov, S. Vasilyev, K. L. Vodopyanov, “Dual frequency comb UV spectroscopy with one million resolved comb lines,” Optica, 11, 1486-1489 (2024). See linkedin, Optica news release, PHYS ORG NEWS
- April 3, 2024. Dmitrii Konnov successfully defends his PhD thesis “Dual frequency comb mid-IR – THz spectroscopy “
- February 9, 2024. Dmitrii Konnov wins 2024 CREOL Student of the Year Award! His presentation title was “Dual-Comb Molecular Spectroscopy from Mid-IR to THz”.
- Nov 2023. Our paper came out as a Featured Article in APL Photonics “High-resolution frequency-comb spectroscopy with electro-optic sampling and instantaneous octave-wide coverage across mid-IR to THz at a video rate”. (Konnov et al., APL Photon. 8, 110801 (2023), https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0165879 )
- April 2023. Our paper came out in Optics Letters (Vasilyev et al., Opt. Lett. 48, 2273 (2023)), where we demonstrate dual-comb spectroscopy in the mid-IR (6–12 µm) with an unprecedented acquisition speed: some quarter million comb-mode resolved spectral points were obtained at up to VIDEO RATE! https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7055752253407666176/
- March 2023. Konstantin Vodopyanov receives Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award.d
- Jan 2023. Konstantin Vodopyanov gives an invited talk at Photonics West (San Francisco) “Precision mid-IR-THz frequency combs produced by frequency division and optical rectification”.
- Aug 2022. Our paper: Taiki Kawamori, Peter Schunemann, Vitaly Gruzdev, and Konstantin Vodopyanov “High-order (N = 4–6) multiphoton absorption and mid-infrared Kerr nonlinearity in GaP, ZnSe, GaSe, and ZGP crystals ” – is published in APL Photonics [APL Photon. 7, 086101 (2022)].
- March 2022. A review paper was published: K. L. Vodopyanov, “Ultra-broadband mid-infrared frequency combs produced by optical subharmonic generation”, Quantum Electronics 52, 307-312 (2022).
- January 2022. Woraprach Kusolthossakul joins the group as a graduate student.
- Nov 10, 2021. Taiki Kawamori defended his PhD thesis in Optics and Photonics: “Nonlinear Light-Matter Interactions in Novel Crystals for Broadband Mid-Infrared Generation”.
- Oct. 2021. Konstantin Vodopyanov is featured in the Pegasus, The Magazine of the University of Central Florida link
- June 2021. Dmitrii Konnov successfully completes the Dissertation Proposal Examination.
- Feb 2021, our paper Q. Ru, T. Kawamori, P. G. Schunemann, S. Vasilyev, S. B. Mirov, and K. L. Vodopyanov, “Two-octave-wide (3–12 µm) subharmonic produced in a minimally dispersive optical parametric oscillator cavity” is published in Opt. Lett. and highlighted as an “Editors’ Pick” , link
- Aug 2020, our paper V. Karlovets, I.E. Gordon, D. Konnov, A.V. Muraviev, K.L. Vodopyanov, “Dual-Comb Laser Spectroscopy of CS2 near 4.6 µm” is published in the Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer (JQSRT) , link
- August 2020, a monograph by Konstantin Vodopyanov “Laser-based Mid-infrared Sources and Applications” is published (Wiley, 2020). link
- August 2020, Ozarfar Gafarov joins the group as a postdoctoral scholar.
- July 2020. Taiki Kawamori successfully completes the Dissertation Proposal Examination.
- July 2020. Dmitrii Konnov successfully completes the Candidacy Examination.
- March 2020, a chapter by Konstantin Vodopyanov “Isotopologues Detection and Quantitative Analysis by Mid‐Infrared Dual‐Comb Laser Spectroscopy” is published in the Encyclopedia of Analytical Chemistry (Wiley, 2020). link
- July 3, 2019. Qitian Ru defended his PhD thesis in Optics and Photonics: “Broadband Mid-infrared Frequency Combs Generated via Frequency Division”.
- June 3, 2019. Dmitrii Konnov passes CREOL PhD Qualifying Examination (the ‘Qualifier’).
- March 27, 2019. Qitian Ru became the winner of the UCF Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition and walked away with a 1000-dollar prize. There were 10 finalists and they were judged on the ability to effectively convey the essence and importance of their research in an engaging way to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes, with one PowerPoint slide. Qitian will continue competing on the national level.
- March 2019. Qitian Ru is on the front page of the 2019 CREOL Industrial Affiliates Symposium booklet.
- March 2019. Taiki Kawamori passes CREOL candidacy exam.
- February 2019. Our paper was published in Optica: T. Tomberg et al. “Background-free broadband absorption spectroscopy based on interferometric suppression with a sign-inverted waveform”, Optica 6, 147-151 (2019).
- January 2019. Qitian Ru passes CREOL dissertation proposal exam.
- January 2019. Our paper was published in Optica: S. Vasilyev et al. “Super-octave longwave mid-infrared coherent transients produced by optical rectification of few-cycle 2.5-μm pulses”, Optica 6, 111-114 (2019).
- August 2018. Dmitrii Konnov joins the group as a graduate student.
Group meetings are on Fridays, 3–5 pm, Room 320 CREOL building (in person).
