Optimal control theory laser pulse design

Optimal control theory, as discussed in Sections II-IV, involves the algorithmic design of laser pulses to achieve a specified control objective. However, through the application of certain approximations, analytic methods can be formulated and then utilized within the optimal control theory framework to predict and interpret the laser fields required. These analytic approaches will be discussed in Section VI. 

In early work in the optimal control theory design of laser helds to achieve desired transformations, the optimal control equations were solved directly, without constraints other than those imposed implicitly by the inclusion of a penalty term on the laser huence [see Eq. (1)]. This inevitably led to laser helds that suddenly increased from very small to large values near the start of the laser pulse. However, physically realistic laser helds should tum-on and -off smoothly. Therefore, during the optimization the held is not allowed to vary freely but is rather expressed in the form [60] ... 

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