Using ultrafast optical spectroscopy to unravel the properties of correlated electron materials

Ultrafast optical spectroscopy has attained prominence over the last few decades due to its ability to resolve dynamics in conventional metals and semiconductors at the fundamental time scales of electron and lattice motion. More recently, this technique has been used to study correlated electron materials, shedding new light into not only their dynamic behavior, but also their intrinsic properties. Here, we will describe the ability of ultrafast optical spectroscopic techniques to provide deep insight into different classes of correlated electron materials that often cannot be attained using any other technique.