Theoretical Femtosecond Physics

Theoretical investigations of atoms and molecules interacting with pulsed lasers up to atomic field strengths on the order of 10^16 W/cm² are leading to an understanding of many challenging experimental discoveries. The presentation starts with a brief introduction to pulsed laser physics. The basis for the non-perturbative treatment of laser-matter interaction in the book is the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Its analytical as well as numerical solution are laid out in some detail. The light field is treated classically and different possible gauges for the field-matter interaction are discussed. Physical phenomena, ranging from paradigmatic Rabi-oscillations in two-level systems to the ionization of atoms, the generation of high-order harmonics, the ionization and dissociation of molecules, as well as the control of chemical reactions are presented and discussed on a fundamental level. In this way, the theoretical background for state of the art experiments with strong and short laser pulses is given.