Pierre Agostini - Böcker

This is the first of a series of books on Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field that spans atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science. It covers intense VUV laser-cluster interaction, resonance and chaos-assisted tunneling, and the effects of the carrier-envelope phase on high-order harmonic generation.

The world is ?lled with light, and, no doubt, we have developed our idea of nature by “seeing” matters, that is, by irradiating matters with light. When increasing the intensity of light, we realized recently that a variety of new and hitherto unimaginable phenomena emerge. In rapid succession, abo- threshold ionization, Coulomb explosion, selective chemical bond breaking, high-order harmonic generation into deep XUV, generation of short-pulsed ?18 X ray, ?lamentation, and light-pulse shortening into the attosecond (10 s) time domain have been reported. Light has gained a new function which is to change the character of matter itself and the consequences have triggered a lot of enthusiasm, discussions and collaborations among the researchers. A series of annual meetings, “International Symposium on Ultrafast - tense Laser Science” (http://www.isuils.jp), with which this new Springer sub-series collaborates, was designed to stimulate further interdisciplinary interactions at the forefront of research aiming at expanding the frontiers of the ?eld. The ?rst ISUILS was held in Tokyo in 2002, featuring the issue of control of molecules in intense laser ?elds, and the second ISUILS was held the next year in Quebec City. From this ISUILS2, we started honoring distinguished researchers who have contributed to the establishment of the basis of this new research ?eld. Prof. Hiroshi Takuma (Tokyo) and Prof. G- ard Mainfray (Saclay) served as Honorary Co-chairs at ISUILS2, and Prof. Leonid Keldysh (Moscow) and Prof. Orazio Svelto (Milano) at ISUILS3 held in Palermo in 2004.

The frontiers in ultrafast intense laser science are rapidly expanding thanks to the progress in ultrashort and high-power laser technologies, and the interd- ciplinary nature of this research ?eld is attracting researchers with di?erent expertise and backgrounds. As in the ?rst two volumes of PUILS, each chapter in the present volume, whose page length is in the range of 15 to 25 pages, begins with an int- duction in which clear and concise accounts of the signi?cance of the topics is described, followed by a description of the authors’ most recent research results. All chapters are peer-reviewed. The articles of this third volume cover a diverse range of the interdisciplinary research ?eld, and the topics may be grouped in ?ve categories: strong ?eld ionization of atoms (Chaps. 1–3), i- ization and fragmentation of molecules and clusters (Chaps. 4–8), generation of high-order harmonics and attosecond pulses (Chaps. 9–11), ?lamentation and laser plasma interaction (Chaps. 12–14), and the development of ult- short and ultrahigh-intensity light sources (Chap. 15). The PUILS series has been edited in liaison with the activities of the MEXT Priority Area Program on Control of Molecules in Intense Laser Fields (FY2002–2005), the JSPS Core-to-Core Program on Ultrafast Intense Laser Science (FY2004–), and JILS (Japan Intense Light Field Science Society). Starting with the present volume, JILS has become a sponsor organization for the PUILS series, taking on responsibility for its regular publication.

This is the first of a series of books on Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field that spans atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science. It covers intense VUV laser-cluster interaction, resonance and chaos-assisted tunneling, and the effects of the carrier-envelope phase on high-order harmonic generation.

The world is ?lled with light, and, no doubt, we have developed our idea of nature by “seeing” matters, that is, by irradiating matters with light. When increasing the intensity of light, we realized recently that a variety of new and hitherto unimaginable phenomena emerge. In rapid succession, abo- threshold ionization, Coulomb explosion, selective chemical bond breaking, high-order harmonic generation into deep XUV, generation of short-pulsed ?18 X ray, ?lamentation, and light-pulse shortening into the attosecond (10 s) time domain have been reported. Light has gained a new function which is to change the character of matter itself and the consequences have triggered a lot of enthusiasm, discussions and collaborations among the researchers. A series of annual meetings, “International Symposium on Ultrafast - tense Laser Science” (http://www.isuils.jp), with which this new Springer sub-series collaborates, was designed to stimulate further interdisciplinary interactions at the forefront of research aiming at expanding the frontiers of the ?eld. The ?rst ISUILS was held in Tokyo in 2002, featuring the issue of control of molecules in intense laser ?elds, and the second ISUILS was held the next year in Quebec City. From this ISUILS2, we started honoring distinguished researchers who have contributed to the establishment of the basis of this new research ?eld. Prof. Hiroshi Takuma (Tokyo) and Prof. G- ard Mainfray (Saclay) served as Honorary Co-chairs at ISUILS2, and Prof. Leonid Keldysh (Moscow) and Prof. Orazio Svelto (Milano) at ISUILS3 held in Palermo in 2004.

The frontiers in ultrafast intense laser science are rapidly expanding thanks to the progress in ultrashort and high-power laser technologies, and the interd- ciplinary nature of this research ?eld is attracting researchers with di?erent expertise and backgrounds. As in the ?rst two volumes of PUILS, each chapter in the present volume, whose page length is in the range of 15 to 25 pages, begins with an int- duction in which clear and concise accounts of the signi?cance of the topics is described, followed by a description of the authors’ most recent research results. All chapters are peer-reviewed. The articles of this third volume cover a diverse range of the interdisciplinary research ?eld, and the topics may be grouped in ?ve categories: strong ?eld ionization of atoms (Chaps. 1–3), i- ization and fragmentation of molecules and clusters (Chaps. 4–8), generation of high-order harmonics and attosecond pulses (Chaps. 9–11), ?lamentation and laser plasma interaction (Chaps. 12–14), and the development of ult- short and ultrahigh-intensity light sources (Chap. 15). The PUILS series has been edited in liaison with the activities of the MEXT Priority Area Program on Control of Molecules in Intense Laser Fields (FY2002–2005), the JSPS Core-to-Core Program on Ultrafast Intense Laser Science (FY2004–), and JILS (Japan Intense Light Field Science Society). Starting with the present volume, JILS has become a sponsor organization for the PUILS series, taking on responsibility for its regular publication.

This important proceedings volume highlights the major scientific achievement of the last decade in atomic physics, namely the creation of the gaseous Bose-Einstein condensate, which was featured prominently at the XVIII International Conference on Atomic Physics (ICAP2002). Two recipients of the 2001 Nobel Prize delivered lectures at the meeting. Among the topics discussed were novel processes leading to degenerate Fermi gases in atom traps, creation of cold molecules, condensates in optical lattices, atoms in intense fields, tests of fundamental symmetries, quantum control and information, time and frequency standards.

This festschrift collects contributions from renowned experts in atomic and molecular physics, chemistry, and related fields dedicated to Professor Dr Naseem K Rahman on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The book includes topics at the forefront of research in these fields and captures insights of experts rarely found in other publications. Most of all, it reflects Rahman's wide interests in physics, chemistry and the life sciences.This book has been selected for coverage in:• CC / Physical, Chemical & Earth Sciences• Index to Scientific Book Contents® (ISBC)

This volume contains contributions covering a wide range of subjects in the area of photonic, electronic and atomic collisions. These include the collisions of heavy particles and electrons with atoms, molecules and clusters; the coherent control of reaction dynamics using lasers and electromagnetic fields with molecules, clusters and liquids; recent experimental progress in the synthesis of antihydrogen; the interaction of solar winds with cometary atmospheres, and the physical interpretation of reactions in biological systems.