Intra-cavity second harmonic generation of a Titanium:sapphire (Ti:sa) laser system has been used to improve the conversion efficiency to the second harmonic. Over the course of several experiments performance data spanning the whole wavelength range of a Ti:sa has been collected, which may be used as a guideline for future experiments. An average output power of up to 3.7 W was achieved, resulting in a conversion efficiency of >75 % to the second harmonic. A wavelength coverage from 340-525 nm has been demonstrated. To extend the wavelength range of the solid state laser system, difference frequency mixing has been applied to the intra-cavity doubled light and the fundamental output of a second Ti:sa laser. Up to 30 mW of yellow light at the sodium D2 line at 589 nm was generated. Based on numerical calculations this output power could still be improved by a factor of ten with simple changes in the experimental setup. Laser spectroscopy and measurement of the saturation behaviour has been carried out on an atomic beam of stable sodium.

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Total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy is used to measure accurately the intensity of γ emission from neutron-unbound states populated in the β-decay of delayed-neutron emitters. From the comparison of this intensity with the intensity of neutron emission a constraint on the (n,γ) cross section for highly unstable neutron-rich nuclei can be deduced. A surprisingly large γ branching was observed for a number of isotopes which might indicate the need to increase by a large factor the Hauser-Feshbach (n,γ) cross-section estimates that impact on r process abundance calculations.

A linewidth reduction of a distributed feedback quantum cascade laser (DFB-QCL) based on optical feedback for a mid-infrared (MIR) cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS) 14C spectrometer is presented. A cat-eye reflector as well as a path-length enhancement by a Herriott cell were employed for a compact optical setup. The laser linewidth was evaluated by monitoring the beat frequency between the DFB-QCL and a MIR optical frequency comb (OFC). The linewidth reduction by optical feedback was clearly observed although slow frequency drifts caused by environmental changes were still visible. A low-bandwidth beat-note lock to the OFC was conducted for long-term stabilization as well as for precise frequency scanning and thereby 14C measurement by MIR CRDS with optical feedback was demonstrated successfully.

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