This second edition in paperback provides an up-to-date
review of the state of the art in different generation
processes for ultrashort laser pulses. Inaddition,
extensive applications in a wide range of fields - in
physics,engineering, chemistry, and biology - are
discussed:
Eight chapters dealwith 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 laserpulses.

Generation of ultrashort optical pulses.- Optical nonlinearities with ultrashort pulses.- Ultrashort interactions in solids.- Ultrafast Optoelectronics.- Ultrafast coherent spectroscopy.- Ultrashort intramolecular and intermolecular vibrational energy transfer of polyatomic molecules in liquids.- Ultrafast chemical reactions in the liquid state.- Biological processes studied by ultrafast laser techniques.- Addendum A: Generation of ultrashort optical pulses.- Addendum B: Optical nonlinearities with ultrashort pulses.- Addendum C: Ultrashort interactions in solids.- Addendum D: Ultrafast optoelectronics.- Addendum E: Ultrafast coherent spectroscopy.- Addendum F: Ultrashort intramolecular and intermolecular vibrational energy transfer of polyatomic molecules in liquids.- Addendum G: Ultrafast chemical reactions in the liquid state.- Addendum H: Biological processes studied by ultrafast laser techniques, an update of chapter 9.