This book is the latest to appear in a series documenting the progress of this exciting field in surface science. It presents recent results and reviews of the rapidly growing field of interaction of particles and lasers with solid surfaces leading to excitation, ionisation and desorption. The main emphasis is on the microscopic understanding of DIET, especially electron- and ion-induced desorption of adsorbed layers, emission from insulators, laser-induced desorption and ablation, photophysics and photochemistry. Applications ranging from laser ablation for medical purposes to DIET in high-temperature superconductors are also described.

These proceedings are the result of the third international workshop on Desorption Induced by Electronic Transitions, DIET III, which took place on Shelter Island, NY, May. 20-22, 1987. The work contained in this volume is an excellent summary of the current status of the field and should be a valuable reference text for both "seasoned" researchers and newcomers in the field of DIET. Based on the success of the meeting it seems clear that interest and enthusiasm in the field is strong. It is also apparent, from the many lively discussions during the meeting, that many unanswered questions (and controversies) remain to be solved. It was particularly pleasing to see many new participants from new and rapidly advancing fields, ranging from gas phase dynamics to semiconductor processing. The resulting cross-fertilization from these separate but related fields is playing an important role in helping us understand desorption processes at solid surfaces. In general, the topics covered during the course of the workshop over lapped those of both DIET I and DIET II. However, clear advances have been made and in general there is a much more sophisticated understand ing of the physics and chemistry of stimulated desorption. Of particular note in this regard is the gas phase research highlighted in this workshop by the work of Nenner et al. , where new results indicate that in the gas phase, photodissociation can precede or compete strongly with autoion ization and other electronic relaxation pathways.

The second workshop on Desorption Induced by Electronic Transitions (DIET II) took place October 15-17, 1984, in SchloB Elmau, Bavaria. DIET II, fol lowing the great success of DIET I (edited by N. H. Tolk, M. M. Traum, J. C. Tully, T. E. Madey and published in Springer Ser. Chem. Phys. , Vol. 24), again brought together over 60 workers in this exciting field. The "hard co re of experts" was essentially the same as in DIET I but the general overlap of participants between the two meetings was small. While DIET I had the function of an exposition of the status of the field DIET II focussed more on new developments. The main emphasis was again on the microscopic under standing of DIET but a number of side aspects and the application of DIET ideas to other fields such as sputtering, laser-induced desorption, fractu re, erosion, etc. were considered, too. New mechanisms and new refined expe rimental techniques were proposed and discussed at the meeting critically but with great enthusiasm. In addition to the talks, there was a continuous poster exhibition which also stimulated extended and excited discussions. This book is a collection of papers summarizing the talks and posters presented at the meeting.