Preface
About the authors
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Basic concepts in laser chemistry
1.2 Organization of the book
Part 1 Principles of lasers and laser systems
Chapter 2 Atoms and molecules, and their interaction with light waves
2.1 Quantum states, energy levels and wave functions
2.2 Dipole transitions and transition probabilities
2.3 Einstein coefficients and excited-state lifetimes
2.4 Spectroscopic line shapes
2.5 The polarization of light waves
2.6 Basic concepts of coherence
2.7 Coherent superposition of quantum states and the concept of wave packets
Chapter 3 The basics of lasers
3.1 Fundamentals of laser action
3.2 Laser resonators
3.3 Frequency and spatial properties of laser radiation
3.4 Gain in continuous-wave and pulsed lasers
3.5 Q-switching and the generation of nanosecond pulses
3.6 Mode locking and the generation of picosecond and femtosecond pulses.
Chapter 4 Laser systems
4.1 Fixed-wavelength gas lasers: heliumâ"neon, rare-gas ion and excimer lasers
4.2 Fixed-wavelength solid-state lasers: the Nd:YAG laser
4.3 Tuneable dye laser systems
4.4 Tuneable Ti:sapphire laser systems
4.5 Semiconductor diode lasers
4.6 Quantum cascade lasers
4.7 Non-linear crystals and frequency-mixing processes
4.8 Three-wave mixing processes: doubling, sum and difference frequency generation
4.9 Optical parametric oscillation
Part 2 Spectroscopic techniques in laser chemistry
Chapter 5 General concepts of laser spectroscopy
5.1 Spectroscopy based on photon detection
5.2 Spectroscopy based on charged particle detection
5.3 Spectroscopy based on measuring changes of macroscopic physical properties of the medium.
Chapter 6 Absorption spectroscopy
6.1 Principles of absorption spectroscopy
6.2 Observable transitions in atoms and molecules
6.3 Practical implementation of absorption spectroscopy
6.4 Multipass absorption techniques
Chapter 7 Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy
7.1 Principles of laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy
7.2 Important parameters in laser-induced fluorescence
7.3 Practical implementation of laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy
Chapter 8 Light scattering methods: Raman spectroscopy and other processes
8.1 Light scattering
8.2 Principles of Raman spectroscopy
8.3 Practical implementation of Raman spectroscopy
Chapter 9 Ionization spectroscopy
9.1 Principles of ionization spectroscopy
9.2 Photoion detection
9.3 Photoelectron detection
9.4 Photoion imaging
Part 3 Optics and measurement concepts
Chapter 10 Reflection, refraction and diffraction
10.1 Selected properties of optical materials and light waves
10.2 Reflection and refraction at a plane surface
10.3 Light transmission through prisms
10.4 Light transmission through lenses and imaging
10.5 Imaging using curved mirrors
10.6 Superposition, interference and diffraction of light waves
10.7 Diffraction by single and multiple apertures
10.8 Diffraction gratings
Chapter 11 Filters and thin-film coatings
11.1 Attenuation of light beams
11.1 Beam splitters
11.3 Wavelength-selective filters
11.4 Polarization filters
11.5 Reflection and filtering at optical component interfaces
11.6 Thin-film coatings
Chapter 12 Optical fibres
12.1 Principles of optical fibre transmission
12.2 Attenuation in fibre transmission
12.3 Mode propagation in fibres
Chapter 13 Analysis instrumentation and detectors
13.1 Spectrometers
13.2 Interferometers
13.3 Photon detectors exploiting the photoelectric effect
13.4 Photodetectors based on band-gap materials
13.5 Measuring laser power and pulse energy
13.6 Analysis of charged particles for charge, mass and energy
13.7 Charged-particle detection
Chapter 14 Signal processing and data acquisition
14.1 Signals, noise and noise reduction
14.2 DC, AC and balanced detection methods
14.3 Lock-in detection techniques
14.4 Gated integration/boxcar averaging techniques
14.5 Event counting
14.6 Digital conversion and data acquisition
Part 4 Laser studies of photodissociation, photoionization and unimolecular processes
Chapter 15 Photodissociation of diatomic molecules
15.1 Photofragment kinetic energy
15.2 Angular distributions and anisotropic scattering
15.3 Predissociation and curve crossing
15.4 Femtosecond studies: chemistry in the fast lane
15.5 Dissociation and oscillatory continuum emission
Chapter 16 Photodissociation of triatomic molecules
16.1 Photodissociation of water
16.2 Photodissociation of ozone
16.3 Laser-induced fluorescence and cavity ring-down studies
16.4 Femtosecond studies: transition-state spectroscopy
Chapter 17 Photodissociation of larger polyatomic molecules: energy landscapes
17.1 Rydberg tagging
17.2 Photodissociation of ammonia
17.3 Selective bond breaking
17.4 Molecular elimination and three-body dissociation
Chapter 18 Multiple and multiphoton excitation, and photoionization
18.1 Infrared multiple-photon activation and unimolecular dissociation
18.2 Continuum intermediate states and bond stretching
18.3 High-resolution zero kinetic energy photoelectron spectroscopy
18.4 Autoionization
18.5 Photoion-pair formation
Chapter 19 Coherent control and the future of ultra-short probing
19.1 Coherent control of chemical processes
19.2 The future of attosecond probing
Part 5 Laser studies of bimolecular reactions
Chapter 20 Basic concepts of kinetics and reaction dynamics
20.1 R©sum© of kinetics
20.2 Introduction to reaction dynamics: total and differential reaction cross-section
20.3 Connection between dynamics and kinetics
20.4 Basic concepts of potential energy surfaces
20.5 Calculating potential energy surfaces
Chapter 21 The molecular beam method: basic concepts and examples of bimolecular reaction studies
21.1 Basic concepts
21.2 Interpretation of spatial and energy distributions: dynamics of a two-body collision
21.3 Interpretation of spatial and energy distributions: products angular and velocity distributions as a route to the reaction mechanism.
Chapter 22 Chemical reactions with laser-prepared reagents
22.1 Energy selectivity: mode-selective chemistry
22.2 Energy selectivity: electronic excitation
22.3 Stereodynamical effects with laser-prepared reagents
22.4 Vibrationally excited reagents and their effect on stereo-dynamics
Chapter 23 Laser probing of chemical reaction products
23.1 Where does the energy of a chemical reaction go?
23.2 Probing the product state distribution of a chemical reaction
23.3 Crossed-beam techniques and laser spectroscopic detection: towards the state-to-state differential reaction cross-section measurements
Part 6 Laser studies of cluster and surface reactions
Chapter 24 Laser studies of complexes: van der Waals and cluster reactions
24.1. Experimental set-ups and methodologies
24.2. Metal-containing complexes
24.3. Non-metal van der Waals complexes
Chapter 25 Solvation dynamics: elementary reactions in solvent cages
25.1. Dissociation of clusters containing I2
25.2. Dissociation of clusters containing I2
25.3. Proton-transfer reactions
Chapter 26 Laser studies of surface reactions: an introduction
26.1. R©sum© of metal surface properties and electronic structure
26.2. Particleâ"surface interaction
26.3. Surface reaction mechanisms
26.4. Experimental methods to investigate laser-induced surface reactions
Chapter 27 Laser studies of surface reactions: photochemistry in the adsorbed state
27.1. Adsorbate- versus substrate-mediated processes
27.2. Examples of photoinduced reactions in the adsorbed state
27.3. Femto-chemistry at surfaces: the ultrafast reaction CO/Oâ"[Ru(0001)]
Part 7 Selected applications
Chapter 28 Environmental and other analytical applications
28.1 Atmospheric gas monitoring using tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy
28.2 Closed-path tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy applications
28.3 Open-path tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy applications
28.4 The lidar technique for remote gas analysis
28.5 Lidar in the study of atmospheric chemistry: tropospheric measurements
28.6 Lidar in the study of atmospheric chemistry: stratospheric measurements
28.7 Laser desorption and ionization: laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization, and aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry
Chapter 29 Industrial monitoring and process control
29.1 Analysis of internal combustion engines
29.2 Laser-spectroscopic analysis of burners and incinerators
29.3 Laser-chemical processes at surfaces: nanoscale patterning
Chapter 30 Laser applications in medicine and biology
30.1 Photodynamic therapy
30.2 Intra-cell mapping of drug delivery using Raman imaging
30.3 Breath diagnostics using laser spectroscopy
30.4 From photons to plant defence mechanisms
30.5 Application to volatile compounds: on-line detection of plant stress
30.6 Laser applications to the study of non-volatile compounds in fruits
References
References grouped by chapter
Further reading grouped by part
Web pages
Appendix
Common abbreviations and acronyms
Physical constants
Useful conversions and other relationships
Energy conversion factors
Index
