High-resolution spectroscopy of atoms and molecules

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Abstract
Lasers are rejuvenating, even revolutionizing, the field of spectroscopy of atoms and molecules. Compared with the light of conventional sources, laser light is more—sometimes dramatically more—powerful, directional, spectrally pure and coherent. Laser light can be generated in extremely short pulses. Furthermore, tunable lasers can operate at wavelengths at which intense conventional sources such as spectral lamps simply have not been available. Lasers thus can enormously enhance the sensitivity and application range of classical spectroscopic methods, such as absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy.