This is the sixth volume of a well-established and popular series in which expert practitioners discuss topical aspects of light scattering in solids. This volume discusses recent results of Raman spectroscopy of high Tc superconductors, organic polymers, rare earth compounds, semimagnetic superconductors, and silver halides, as well as developments in the rapidly growing field of time-resolved Raman spectroscopy. Emphasis is placed on obtaining information about elementary excitations, the basic properties of materials, and the use of Raman spectroscopy as an analytical tool. This volume may be regarded as an encyclopedia of condensed matter physics from the viewpoint of the Raman spectroscopist. It will be useful to advanced students and to all researchers who apply Raman spectroscopy in their work.

Contributions by: M. Cardona, E. Ehrenfreund, G. Güntherodt, J.A. Kash, W. von der Osten, J.B. Page, A.K. Ramdas, S. Rodriguez, C. Thomsen, J.C. Tsang, Y. Yacoby, E. Zirngiebl