This PhD thesis concerns a range of technological studies and physical applications within the fields of ultrafast science and coherent control. From the technological point of view, we have performed a comprehensive study of space-time coupling within the 'Dazzler' AOPDF pulse shaper using interferometric techniques. For a while such limitations of '4f' zero-dispersion line pulse shapers have been widely documented; our results were the first to demonstrate, quantify and explain a parallel effect in this alternative device. From a control perspective, we have demonstrated exciting results about temporal refocusing of a broadband pulse that has been strongly distorted by a random, multiply scattering medium (i.e. the temporal analogue of the spatial speckle pattern). For this purpose a spatially resolved measurement of the spectral phase of the distorted pulse followed by open-loop feedback to a pulse shaper were implemented: as a result of the linearity of the scattering process, this pre-compensation has led to a spatially localized flat output spectral phase and hence a short pulse. This has already stimulated much interest amongst colleagues for diverse applications such as biological imaging or quantum optics studies.
