Progress made during the last few years in nonlinear optics
and quantum electronics has significantly increased our
understanding of the interactionbetween light and matter.
Of great importance are third-order nonlinear Raman
techniques such as CARS, RIKES, SRS, and DFWM. This book
reflects the state of the art in coherent Raman
spectroscopy. The contributions together provide an
overview of the various Raman techniques that make available
information about the fine structure of molecular energy
levels, the collisional dynamics of atoms and molecules, and
processes of internal energy disipation. Some of the
contributions also report on the application of local,
nonperturbing diagnosic methods forthe determination of
parameters such as composition, temperature, density,
velocity, and energy distribution between the internal
degrees of freedom.