This volume contains papers presented at the Ninth International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena held at Dana Point, CA, USA, from May 2 to 6, 1994. The biannual Ultrafast Phenomena Conferences provide a forum for discussion of the latest advances in ultrafast optics and applications in science and engineering. The vitality and excitement of the various disciplines sharing common interest in ultrafast phenomena were well represented at the meeting by the 438 participants from 18 countries, including 98 students. Cross-fertilization of ultrafast concepts and techniques among the various scientific and engineering disciplines continues to be the primary driving force behind this successful meeting. Progress was reported in the technology of generating ultrafast pulses, includ ing extensions in pulse width, output power, wavelength range, and intensity. Ultrafast spectroscopy continues to impact and expand the knowledge base of fundamental processes in physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. A new series of lively, late-night panel discussions were introduced at this meeting, re flecting the maturing of the field into applications, while at the same time keeping a strong interest in fundamentals. Acknowledgements. Many people and organizations contributed to the success of this meeting. The members of the program committee deserve special thanks for reviewing all the papers and organizing the final program. The staff of the Opti cal Society of America very expertly took care of the conference arrangements.

This volume contains papers presented at the Tenth International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena held at Del Coronado, California, from May 28 to June 1, 1996. The biannual Ultrafast Phenomena Conferences provide a forum for the discussion of the latest advances in ultrafast optics and their applications in science and engineering. The Ultrafast Phenomena Conference maintains a broad international representation with 391 participants from 18 countries, including 94 students attending the conference. The multidisciplinary character of this meeting provides a cross-fertilization of ultrafast concepts and techniques among various scientific and engineering disciplines. The enthusiasm of the paticipants, the originality and quality of the papers that they presented, and the beautiful conference site combined to produce a very successful and enjoyable meeting. Progress was reported in the technology of generating ultrashort pulses, in cluding new techniques for improving laser-pulse duration, output power, wave length range, and compactness. Ultrafast spectroscopy continues to impact on and expand the knowledge base of fundamental processes in physics, chemistry, biol ogy and engineering. In addition ultrafast phenomena now extends to real-world applications in biology, high-speed communication, and material diagnostics. The Tenth Ultrafast Phenomena Conference was highlighted by a 'special event' in which the developments of the previous conferences were reviewed in a panel discussion by G. Mourou, E. Ippen, A. Migus, A. Laubereau and R. Hochstrasser.

This volume contains papers presented at the Eleventh International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena held at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, from July 12 to 17, 1998. The biannual Ultrafast Phenomena Conferences provide a forum for dis cussion of the latest advances in ultrafast optics and their applications in science and engineering. The Garmisch conference brought together a multidisciplinary group of 440 participants from 27 countries, including 127 students. The enthu siasm of this large number of Participants, the high quality of the papers they presented and the magnificent conference site resulted in a successful and pleasant conference. Progress was reported in the technology of generating ultrashort pulses, in cluding new techniques for improving laser-pulse duration, tunability over broad wavelength ranges, output power and peak intensity. Ultrafast spectroscopy con tinues to provide new insight into fundamental processes in physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. In addition to analyzing ultrafast phenomena, control of ultrafast dynamics now represents an important topic. Ultrafast concepts and tech niques are being applied in imaging and microscopy, high speed optoelectronics, mat~rial diagnostics and processing, reflecting the maturing of the field. Acknowledgements. Many people contributed to the success of the conference.

This book, the first of this kind, provides a comprehensive introduction to ultrafast phenomena, covering the fundamentals of ultrafast spin and charge dynamics, femtosecond magnetism, all-optical spin switching, and high-harmonic generation. It covers the experimental tools, including ultrafast pump-probe experiments, and theoretical methods including quantum chemistry and density functional theory, both time-independent and time-dependent. The authors explain in clear language how an ultrafast laser pulse is generated experimentally, how it can induce rapid responses in electrons and spins in molecules, nanostructures and solids (magnetic materials and superconductors), and how it can create high-harmonic generation from atoms and solids on the attosecond timescale. They also show how this field is driving the next generation of magnetic storage devices through femtomagnetism, all-optical spin switching in ferrimagnets and beyond, magnetic logic in magnetic molecules, and ultrafast intense light sources, incorporating numerous computer programs, examples, and problems throughout, to show how the beautiful research can be done behind the scene. Key features: · Provides a clear introduction to modern ultrafast phenomena and their applications in physics, chemistry, materials sciences, and engineering. · Presents in detail how high-harmonic generation occurs in atoms and solids. · Explains ultrafast demagnetization and spin switching, a new frontier for development of faster magnetic storage devices. · Includes numerous worked-out examples and problems in each chapter, with real research codes in density functional theory and quantum chemical calculations provided in the chapters and in the Appendices. This book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers in physics, chemistry, biology, materials sciences, and engineering.

This book presents the latest advances in ultrafast science, including ultrafast laser and measurement technology, and studies of ultrafast phenomena. It summarizes the results presented at the 12th Ultrafast Phenomena Conference and reviews the state of the art of this important and rapidly advancing field.

Ultrafast Phenomena XIV presents the latest advances in ultrafast science, including ultrafast laser and measurement technology as well as studies of ultrafast phenomena. Pico-, femto-, and atosecond processes relevant in physics, chemistry, biology and engineering are presented. Ultrafast technology is now having a profound impact within a wide range of applications, among them imaging, material diagnostics, and transformation and high-speed optoelectronics. This book summarizes results presented at the 14th Ultrafast Phenomena Conference and reviews the state of the art in this important and rapidly advancing field.

Ultrafast spectroscopy of semiconductors and semiconductor nanostructures is currently one of the most exciting areas of research in condensed-matter physics. Remarkable recent progress in the generation of tunable femtosecond pulses has allowed direct investigation of the most fundamental dynamical processes in semiconductors. This second edition presents the most striking recent advances in the techniques of ultrashort pulse generation and ultrafast spectroscopy; it discusses the physics of relaxation, tunneling and transport dynamics in semiconductors and semiconductor nanostructures following excitation by femtosecond laser pulses.