Choose your own adventure: Picosecond or broadband vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy

Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy is a method capable of measuring chemical structure and dynamics within the interfacial region between two bulk phases. At the core of every experimental system is a laser source that influences the experimental capabilities of the VSFG spectrometer. In this article, we discuss the differences between VSFG spectrometers built with picosecond and broadband laser sources as it will impact everything from material costs, experimental build time, experimental capabilities, and more. A focus is placed on the accessibility of the two different SFG systems to newcomers in the SFG field and provides a resource for laboratories considering incorporating VSFG spectroscopy into their research programs. This Tutorial provides a model decision tree to aid newcomers when determining whether the picosecond or femtosecond laser system is sufficient for their research program and navigates through it for a few specific scenarios.