Ultrafast Electronic and Structural Dynamics

This book illustrates advanced technologies for imaging electrons and atoms in action in various forms of matter, from atoms and diatoms to protein molecules and condensed matter. The technologies that are described employ ultrafast pulsed lasers, X-ray free electron lasers, and pulsed electron guns, with pulse durations from femtoseconds, suitable to visualize atoms in action, to attoseconds, needed to visualize ballistic electron motion. Advanced theories, indispensable for understanding such ultrafast imaging and spectroscopy data on electrons and atoms in action, are also described. The book consists of three parts. The first part describes probing methods of attosecond electron dynamics in atoms, molecules, liquids, and solids. The second part describes femtosecond structural  dynamics and coupling of structural change and electron motion in molecules and solids The last part is dedicated to ultrafast photophysical processes and chemical reactions of protein molecules responsible for biological functions.

Kiyoshi Ueda received his Ph.D. from Kyoto University in 1982. His research interest includes electronic and structural dynamics of various form of matters probed by synchrotron radiation, ultrabrie (fs to as) pulse lasers, and short-wavelength (XUV~X) FELs. He is a professor emeritus of Tohoku University. He is the author or co-author of about 700 papers including articles in Nature (2 articles), Nature Physics (4), Nature Photonics (6), Nature Communications (9), Science Advsances (3), Physical Review X (9), Physical Review Letters (54), more than ten review articles (Reports on Progress in Physics, Physics Reports, etc.) and chapters of books (in Japanese); so far ~16000 citations have been received. He gave ~ 200 invited and plenary lectures in international conferences, workshops, symposiums and seminars all over the world. He has been an international councillor of American Physical Society, international chairs of various relevant international conferences such as ICPEAC, an honorary member of the internatonal advisory committee for VUVX conference, and the editorial board member of Physical Review X.