Preface Contributors 1 Laser Basics C. Hirlimann 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Stimulated Emission 1.3 Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission 1.4 Population Inversion 1.5 Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) 1.6 The Optical Cavity 1.7 Here Comes the Laser! 1.8 Conclusion 1.9 Problems Further Reading Historial References 2 Pulsed Optics C. Hirlimann 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Linear Optics 2.3 Nonlinear Optics 2.4 Cascaded Nonlinearities 2.5 Problems Further Reading References 3 Methods for the Generation of Ultrashort Laser Pulses:Mode-Locking A. Ducasse, C. Rullière and B. Couillaud 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Principle of the Mode-Locked Operating Regime 3.3 General Considerations Concerning Mode-Locking 3.4 The Active Mode-Locking Method 3.5 Passive and Hybrid Mode-Locking Methods 3.6 Self-Locking of the Modes References 4 Further Methods for the Generation of Ultrashort Optical Pulses C. Hirlimann 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Gas Lasers 4.3 Dye Lasers 4.4 Solid-State Lasers 4.5 Pulse Generation Without Mode-Locking 4.6 New Developments 4.7 Trends References 5 Pulsed Semiconductor Lasers T. Amand and X. Marie 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Semiconductor Lasers: Principle of Operation 5.3 Semiconductor Laser Devices 5.4 Semiconductor Lasers in Pulsed-Mode Operation References 6 How to Manipulate and Change the Characteristics of Laser Pulses F.Salin 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Pulse Compression 6.3 Amplification 6.4 Wavelength Tunability 6.5 Conclusion 6.6 Problems References 7 How to Measure the Characteristics of Laser Pulses L. Sarger and J. Oberlé 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Energy Measurements 7.3 Power Measurements 7.4 Measurement of the Pulse Temporal Profile 7.5 Spectral Measurements 7.6 Amplitude-Phase Measurements References 8 Spectroscopic Methods for Analysis of Sample Dynamics C. Rullière, T. Amand and X. Marie 8.1 Introduction 8.2 "Pump-Probe" Methods 8.3 Time-Resolved Emission Spectroscopy: Electronic Methods 8.4 Time-Resolved Emission Spectroscopy: Optical Methods 8.5 Time-Resolved Spectroscopy by Excitation Correlation 8.6 Transient-Grating Techniques 8.7 Studies Using the Kerr Effect 8.8 Laboratory Demonstrations References 9 Coherent Effects in Femtosecond Spectroscopy: A Simple Picture Using the Bloch Equation M. Joffre 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Theoretical Model 9.3 Applications to Femtosecond Spectroscopy 9.4 Multidimensional Spectroscopy 9.5 Conclusion 9.6 Problems References 10 Terahertz Femtosecond Pulses A. Bonvalet and M. Joffre 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Generation of Terahertz Pulses 10.3 Measurement of Terahertz Pulses 10.4 Some Experimental Results 10.5 Time-Domain Terahertz Spectroscopy 10.6 Conclusion 10.7 Problems References 11 Coherent Control in Atoms, Molecules and Solids T. Amand, V. Blanchet, B. Girard and X. Marie 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Coherent Control in the Frequency Domain 11.3 Temporal Coherent Control 11.4 Coherent Control with Shaped Laser Pulses 11.5 Coherent Control in Strong Field 11.6 Conclusion References 12 Attosecond Pulses E. Constant and E. Mével 12.1 Introduction 12.2 High-Order Harmonic Generation: A Coherent, Short-Pulse XUV Source 12.3 Semiclassical Picture of HHG 12.4 High-Order Harmonic Generation as an Attosecond Pulse Source 12.5 Techniques for Measurement of Attosecond Pulses 12.6 Applications of Attosecond Pulses 12.7 Conclusion References Index