The aim of this NATO Advanced Study Institute was to bring together scientists and students working in the field of laser matter interactions in order to review and stimulate developmentoffundamental science with ultra-short pulse lasers. New techniques of pulse compression and colliding-pulse mode-locking have made possible the construction of lasers with pulse lengths in the femtosecond range. Such lasers are now in operation at several research laboratories in Europe and the United States. These laser facilities present a new and exciting research direction with both pure and applied science components. In this ASI the emphasis is on fundamental processes occurring in the interaction of short laser pulses with atoms, molecules, solids, and plasmas. In the case of laser-atom (molecule) interactions, high power lasers provide the first access to extreme high-intensity conditions above 10'8 Watts/em', a new frontier for nonlinear interaction of photons with atoms and molecules. New phenomena observed include multiphoton ionization processes, atomic collisions in the presence of a strong laser field, Coulomb explosion following rapid ionization of a molecule and the production of high harmonics of the laser source. Another important topic reviewed in this ASI is the lasercooling ofatoms.

Klappentext

Proceedings of a NATO ASI held in Cargese, Corsica, France, August 17-25, 1992

Inhalt
High Intensity Lasers.- Recent Aspects of Multiphoton Ionization of Atoms.- Theory of Laser-Atom Interactions.- Harmonic Generation at High Intensities.- Comparison of Kinetic Energy Distributions of C2+ Ionic Fragments Induced by Multiphoton Ionization and Fast Ion Impact from CO2.- Resonant Degenerate Four-Wave Mixing.- Semiclassical Calculation of Atomic Processes.- Experiments on Rydberg Wave Packets.- Laser Manipulation of Neutral Atoms.- Second Harmonic Production from Solid Targets.- Raman Study of Laser-Induced Structure Modifications of Ion-Amorphized Silicon.- Properties of Condensed Matter Under Planetary Interior Conditions Measured by Femtosecond Spectroscopy.- Absorption Spectroscopy of Compressed Matter.- Density Functional and Nonequilibrium Methods for Unusual States of Matter Produced Using Short-Pulse Lasers.- Theory of Complex Spectra from Laser Plasmas.- Influence of the Prepulse on the X-ray Yield of a Subpicosecond Laser-Produced Plasma.- Model Calculations of H-like Recombination Schemes.- Theory of Plasma Wave Absorption.- Parametric Instabilities in Picosecond Time Scales.