Applications of Laser Spectroscopy

The relevance of laser spectroscopy for numerous applications in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine, or to environmental studies and technical problems has rapidly gained enormous significance. This is manifested by an increasing number of books and reviews. This chapter can only discuss some examples that are selected in order to demonstrate how many fascinating appUcations already exist and how much research and development is still needed. For a detailed representation of more examples, the reader is referred to the references given in the sections that follow as well as to some monographs and reviews [1358-1364]. 

The experimental advantages of laser spectroscopy regarding spectral power density and spectral resolution have brought about a great variety of applications in many scientific and technical fields. The selection of examples presented in this chapter is by far not complete but intends to illustrate the impact of laser spectroscopy on the development of new experimental techniques in chemistry, biology, and environmental sciences. The importance of laser spectroscopic applications is emphasized by the publication of many monographs, review papers, or conference proceedings on this subject. For more detailed information the reader is therefore referred to the cited literature [1.17,19 14.1-6]. 

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The first application of laser spectroscopy to a one-electron ion was a measurement of the 251/2 2P3/2 interval in by a Rutgers-Bell Labs collaboration [4]. This experiment is the prototype of much subsequent work. The basic technique is illustrated in fig. la,b. ions, of which about 1% were in the... 

The application of laser spectroscopy in biology and medicine gained a remarkable importance and is still rapidly growing. Some future aspects of biomolecular laser spectroscopy are already mentioned in the respective chapters. New technologies which combine lasers with conventional instruments, an optical mass spectrometer and a laser ion microscope are discussed by Letokhov 79). 

Surface science is a rapidly developing field that has gained a lot from applications of laser spectroscopy [1499, 1500]. The sensitive technique of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, which gives information of molecules adsorbed on surfaces, was discussed in Sect. 3.4.2. 

We will give several examples to illustrate the many possible applications of laser spectroscopy in the investigation of problems in molecular biology [1508],... 

The preceding selection of examples of laser spectroscopic applications is somewhat arbitrary and by no means complete. The progress in this field may be measured by the increasing variety of conferences and workshops on applications of laser spectroscopy in science and technology. A good survey can be found in many conference proceedings of the Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation and Engineering (SPIE) [1572]. The reasons for this rapid expansion of applications are manifold ... 

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