Spectroscopic Applications of Lasers

The special laser characteristics outlined in the last chapter indeed make the laser a very attractive light source for spectroscopists and many of the applications discussed below were proposed soon after the first successful operation of an optical maser . Meanwhile many laboratories are working in this field, and a selection from the numerous spectroscopic experiments will be presented in the following sections. 

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Some of these spectroscopic applications of lasers will be discussed in this review article, the experiments described exemplifying the laser s potential as a tool for spectroscopists. 

Contents Spectroscopy with Lasers Introduction. Characteristic Features of Lasers as Spectroscopic light Sources. Spectroscopic Applications of Lasers. High-Resolution Spectroscopy Based on Saturation Effects. Spectroscopy of Laser Media. Conclusion. Zusammen-fassung. (418 references). 

Spectroscopic applications of lasers on biomolecules such as nucleic acids, chlorophyll, hemoglobin and rhodopsin are reviewed. General aspects, typical examples, applications in photomedicine as... 

The spectroscopic applications of lasers covered in this book are restricted to the spectroscopy of free atoms, molecules, or ions. There exists, of course, a wide range of applications in plasma physics, solid-state physics, or fluid dynamics which are not discussed because they are beyond the scope of this book. It is hoped that this book may be of help to students and researchers. Although it is meant as an introduction to laser spectroscopy, it may also facilitate the understanding of advanced papers on special subjects in laser spectroscopy. Since laser spectroscopy is a very fascinating field of research, I would be happy if this book can transfer to the reader some of my excitement and pleasure experienced in the laboratory while looking for new lines or unexpected results. 

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