An Introduction To Laser Spectroscopy

Introduction to Laser Spectroscopy is a well-written, easy-to-read guide to understanding the fundamentals of lasers, experimental methods of modern laser spectroscopy and applications. It provides a solid grounding in the fundamentals of many aspects of laser physics, nonlinear optics, and molecular spectroscopy. In addition, by comprehensively combining theory and experimental techniques it explicates a variety of issues that are essential to understanding broad areas of physical, chemical and biological science. Topics include key laser types - gas, solid state, and semiconductor - as well as the rapidly evolving field of ultrashort laser phenomena for femtochemistry applications. The examples used are well researched and clearly presented. Introduction to Laser Spectroscopy is strongly recommended to newcomers as well as researchers in physics, engineering, chemistry and biology. * A comprehensive course that combines theory and practice * Includes a systematic and comprehensive description for key laser types * Written for students and professionals looking to gain a thorough understanding of modern laser spectroscopy

Here is the first graduate-level textbook to offer an introduction to the field of laser spectroscopy. Chapters cover a broad range of topics in detail, emphasizing the theoretical and experimental aspects of the field. This much-needed text will allow students to explore current research and gain an understanding of the analytical and industrial applications of laser spectroscopy.

Laser Spectroscopy - in this second enlarged edition - provides an introduction to modern techniques and instrumentation in laser spectroscopy. The first part, which discusses the basic concepts of absorption and emission of light, the spectroscopic instrumentation for wavelength measurements and detection of light, and the spectroscopic properties of lasers, is a textbook for graduate students. The second part gives a survey on different techniques of laser spectroscopy and their applications, with ample references to the original literature. This book helps close the gap between classical works on optics and spectroscopy, and more specialized publications on modern research in this field. It is addressed to graduate students in physics and chemistry as well as scientists just entering this field on research.

"a very valuable book for graduate students and researchers in the field of Laser Spectroscopy, which I can fully recommend" —Wolfgang Demtröder, Kaiserslautern University of Technology How would it be possible to provide a coherent picture of this field given all the techniques available today? The authors have taken on this daunting task in this impressive, groundbreaking text. Readers will benefit from the broad overview of basic concepts, focusing on practical scientific and real-life applications of laser spectroscopic analysis and imaging. Chapters follow a consistent structure, beginning with a succinct summary of key principles and concepts, followed by an overview of applications, advantages and pitfalls, and finally a brief discussion of seminal advances and current developments. The examples used in this text span physics and chemistry to environmental science, biology, and medicine. Focuses on practical use in the laboratory and real-world applications Covers the basic concepts, common experimental setups Highlights advantages and caveats of the techniques Concludes each chapter with a snapshot of cutting-edge advances This book is appropriate for anyone in the physical sciences, biology, or medicine looking for an introduction to laser spectroscopic and imaging methodologies. Helmut H. Telle is a full professor at the Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. Ángel González Ureña is head of the Department of Molecular Beams and Lasers, Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.

Introduction to Nonlinear Laser Spectroscopy focuses on the principles of nonlinear laser spectroscopy. This book discusses the experimental techniques of nonlinear optics and spectroscopy. Comprised of seven chapters, this book starts with an overview of the stimulated Raman effect and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy, which can be used in a varied way to generate radiation in the ultraviolet and vacuum-ultraviolet areas. This text then explains the simplest quantum-mechanical system consisting of an isolated entity with energy eigenstates |b> and |a> having energies Eb and Ea (Eb > Ea), respectively. Other chapters examine the exciting possibilities started by saturated absorption and related techniques, including improved spectroscopic precision, studies of collisional dynamics, and better measurements of fundamental constants and of basic units. The final chapter deals with the method of infrared spectrophotography, which combines efficient detection, time resolution, and coherent infrared. Spectroscopists and graduate students will find this book extremely useful.

The impact of lasers on spectroscopy can hardly be overestimated. Lasers re present intense light sources with spectral energy densities which may exceed those of i ncoheren t sources by severa 1 orders of magnitude. Furthermore be cause of their extremely small bandwidth, single-mode lasers allow a spectral resolution which far exceeds that of conventional spectrometers. Many experi ments which could not be done before the application of lasers because of lack of intensity or insufficient resol ution are readily performed wi th lasers. Now several thousands of laser lines are known which span the whole spec tral range from the vacuum-ultraviolet to the far-infrared region. Of parti cular interest are the continuously tunable lasers which may in many cases replace wavelength-selecting elements, such as spectrometers or interferome ters. In combination with optical frequency mixing, techniques such conti nuously tunable monochromatic coherent light sources are available at nearly any desired wavelength above 100 nm.