Theoretical Femtosecond Physics: Atoms and Molecules in Strong Laser Fields , Frank Grossmann , Springer, Berlin, 2008. $149.95 (214 pp.). ISBN 978-3-540-77896-7
The past two decades have brought rapid advances in the field of femtosecond physics, advances that began with such unexpected experimental discoveries as high-order harmonic generation and the generation of attosecond extreme UV pulses. The field’s brisk growth has been fueled by rapid progress in the development of the high-energy, short-pulse laser systems that now enable scientists to routinely carry out femtosecond physics.
Theoretical Femtosecond Physics: Atoms and Molecules in Strong Laser Fields fills an important need for a thorough introduction of the theory behind the high-field laser physics phenomena on which this emerging research field is based. Author Frank Grossmann is a theoretical physicist who specializes in quantum optics. His book is the outgrowth of a course on high-field lasermatter interaction he designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students at the Dresden University of Technology.
The text begins with an extremely brief introduction to laser physics. Based on rate equations, it explains continuous-wave and short-pulse operation and touches on time–frequency signal representations such as the Husimi distribution. The second chapter is dedicated to time-dependent quantum theory. Starting with the Schrödinger equation, Grossmann introduces the time evolution operator and derives the Feynman–Kac formula, which allows one to obtain spectral information. He also discusses Gaussian wavepacket dynamics—the quantum-mechanical formulation of quasi-classical propagation—and shows that the wavepackets are exact solutions for linear systems. Also briefly described are various analytic and numerical approaches to solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Those approaches include Feynman’s path integral formulation, the Magnus expansion, and split-step fast Fourier transforms. Chapters 3 and 4—the last chapter—treat applications of laser physics and quantum dynamics to the interaction of electromagnetic fields with matter. In every chapter, Grossmann provides a set of problems to help readers expand their understanding of the methods introduced.
In the fifth and last chapter, the book treats molecules in strong laser fields. Using the simple molecular ion H2 + as a model system, Grossmann introduces electronic potential energy surfaces and dissociation dynamics. Among other subjects, he explains the process of femtosecond pump–probe spectroscopy and considers adiabatic and nonadiabatic nuclear dynamics in the Born–Oppenheimer approximation. The final section of the book treats the control of molecular dynamical processes—for example, the coherent destruction of tunneling and population transfer by stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. Other controls are also discussed, including optimal control of molecular processes using the “pump-dump” technique, the Krotov method, and genetic algorithms; the book then closes with a brief look at quantum computing via laser–molecule interactions.
In writing any textbook, an author has to compromise between conciseness and depth of coverage. For Theoretical Femtosecond Physics, Grossmann chose a compact, example-filled presentation. The densely written chapters, though, often limit the reader’s ability to grasp and gain insight into the subject matter. The author partially compensates for that by complementing the text with helpful problems that illustrate the material. Overall, the book fulfills its promise to give a brief introduction to the theoretical methods for treating laser–matter interactions and the control of molecular processes on the femtosecond scale. I highly recommend Grossmann’s book to anyone interested in entering this rapidly developing field.
