Spectral phase optimization of femtosecond laser pulses for narrow-band, low-background nonlinear spectroscopy.

We use experimental search space mapping to examine the problem of selective nonlinear excitation with binary phase shaped femtosecond laser pulses. The search space maps represent a graphical view of all the possible solutions to the selective nonlinear excitation problem along with their experimental degrees of success. Using the information learned from these maps, we generate narrow lines with low background in second harmonic generation and stimulated Raman scattering spectra.