Ultrashort Laser Pulses: Generation and Applications (Topics in Applied Physics)

This authoritative book is written by ten experts in the field. It provides an up-to-date review of the state of the art in different generation processes for ultrashort laser pulses. Extensive applications in a wide range of fields - in physics, engineering, chemistry, and biology - are also discussed. Eight chapters deal with the following topics: - the generation of picosecond and femtosecond laser pulses - nonlinear wave interactions - new investigations in solid-state physics - recent progress in optoelectronics - advances in coherent material excitations - ultrafast vibrational lifetimes and energy redistribution in liquids - new observations of chemical reactions in the liquid state - the primary processes of important biological systems The book is essential reading for scientists and engineers who want to know what is going on in this rapidly advancing field. It should also interest graduate students and others who seek an introduction to laser pulses.