Laser Spectroscopy And Nonlinear Optics Of Solids

Laser spectroscopy in solids has become one of the most exciting fields in solid state physics. Its importance has become particularly apparent since the advent of a number of new materials - both organic and inorganic - whose nonlinear optical properties can be used to generate laser beams over a wide spectroscopic range. In laboratories all over the world efforts are being made to produce new nonlinear optical materials which have attractive features for spectroscopic work. In this book the present status of the field is reviewed by researchers who have made significant contributions to the development of this frontier area. Is is an excellent introduction for anyone beginning research on the nonlinear optics of solids.

Laser-based optical spectroscopies are powerful and versatile techniques that are continuing to evolve and find new applications. This book presents reviews of recent progress in our understanding of the spectra and dynamical processes of optically excited states of condensed matter, focusing on the advances made possible by the application of laser-based optical spectroscopies. Reviews are given of the optical properties of crystalline and amorphous semiconducting materials and structures, the properties of defect centers in insulators, two-photon nonlinear processes in insulators, optical energy diffusion in inorganic materials, and relaxation in organic materials. The individual chapters emphasize the methodology common to the various investigations. The volume is designed to be suitable as an introduction to applied laser spectroscopy of solids, as well as providing an update on the status of the field.

The Third Binational USA-USSR Symposium titled "Laser Optics of Con densed Matter" was held in Leningrad 1 June - 5 June 1987. This volume con tains the full text of 64 papers presented at (or prepared for) the Symposium in both plenary and poster sessions. This Symposium reestablished the very productive series of "Light Scattering" Binational Symposia which were initi ated in Moscow in 1975. Unfortunately there was an eight-year hiatus follow ing the Second Symposium in New York (1979). This interval, caused by serious chilling of the climate of USA-USSR collaboration, deprived the active scien tists on both sides of the opportunity to meet and interact in the active format of a conference. During this eight year interval there has been very rapid and intense development of scientific activity in the general area of laser optics phe nomena. The development of ultrafast laser sources has permitted rapid advances in time resolved spectroscopy and ultrafast processes; the field of optical bistability and strong nonlinearity became a hot topic; and intense work is now underway to clarify ideas of photon localization. These new dev elopments complement many advances in the study of low dimensional systems such as surfaces, new work on phase transitions, and novel studies of elemen tary excitations such as polariton-excitons in localized environments such as quantum wells and heterojunctions.

This report presents an account of the course "Nonlinear Spectroscopy of Solids: Advances and Applications" held in Erice, Italy, from June 16 to 30, 1993. This meeting was organized by the International School of Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy of the "Ettore Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture. The purpose of this course was to present and discuss physical models, mathematical formalisms, experimental techniques, and applications relevant to the subject of nonlinear spectroscopy of solid state materials. The universal availability and application of lasers in spectroscopy has led to the widespread observation of nonlinear effects in the spectroscopy of materials. Nonlinear spectroscopy encompasses many physical phenomena which have their origin in the monochromaticity, spectral brightness, coherence, power density and tunability of laser sources. Conventional spectroscopy assumes a linear dependence between the applied electromagnetic field and the induced polarization of atoms and molecules. The validity of this assumption rests on the fact that even the most powerful conventional sources of light produce a light intensity which is not strong enough to equalize the rate of stimulated emission and that of the experimentally observed decay. A different situation may arise when laser light sources are used, particularly pulsed lasers. The use of such light sources can make the probability of induced emission comparable to, or even greater than, the probability of the observed decay; in such cases the nonlinearity of the response of the system is revealed by the experimental data and new properties, not detectable by conventional spectroscopy, will emerge.

Laser-based optical spectroscopies are powerful and versatile techniques that are continuing to evolve and find new applications. This book presents reviews of recent progress in our understanding of the spectra and dynamical processes of optically excited states of condensed matter, focusing on the advances made possible by the application of laser-based optical spectroscopies. Reviews are given of the optical properties of crystalline and amorphous semiconducting materials and structures, the properties of defect centers in insulators, two-photon nonlinear processes in insulators, optical energy diffusion in inorganic materials, and relaxation in organic materials. The individual chapters emphasize the methodology common to the various investigations. The volume is designed to be suitable as an introduction to applied laser spectroscopy of solids, as well as providing an update on the status of the field.

The Fourth USA-USSR Symposium. on The Physics of Optical Phenomena and Their Use as Probes of Matter, was held in Irvine, California, January 23-27, 1990. Participating in the Symposium were 22 scientists from the USSR and 29 from the USA. In addition, to provide an international dimension to this Symposium without, however, compromising significantly its essentially binational character, 7 non-US and non-USSR scientists were invited to take part in it. The present volume is the proceedings of that Symposium, and contains all manuscripts received prior to August 1, 1990, representing. scientific contributions presented. A few manuscripts were not received, but for completeness the corresponding abstract is printed.. Three previous USA/USSR Binational Symposia on related topics have been held, viz. "Theory of Light Scattering in Condensed Matter" (Moscow, 1975), "Light Scattering in Solids" (New York, 1979), and "Laser Optics of Condensed Matter" (Leningrad, 1987). These meetings were evaluated by the participants as highly successful and provided invaluable oppor tunities for researchers to exchange information and to initiate colla borative work which led to research visits by US physicist to Soviet laboratories, and vice versa, and which continue to the present day.

This book covers all aspects of solid state lasers. It provides deep insights into theoretical analysis and calculations of lasers. It also integrates theory, calculations and practical design, technology, experimental schemes and applications.