Atoms and Molecules in Strong Laser Fields

Abstract

The interactions of superstrong and ultrashort laser pulses with atoms and molecules have been a subject of great interest over the past two decades, as reflected in many books and review articles. The beginning of the twenty-first century is witnessing the development of several large- and medium-scale experimental facilities dedicated to the generation of laser light with unprecedented capabilities. The frequency spectrum covered by these new light sources ranges from the infrared up to the extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray (produced in the FLASH free-electron laser facility at DESY). This calls for the development of new theoretical and computational tools to simulate laser-matter interactions at extreme conditions.