Inhaltsangabe1. Introduction.- 1.1 Laser Excitation and Induced Processes.- 1.1.1 Laser Excitation.- 1.1.2 Laser-Induced Processes.- 1.2 Detection Schemes.- 1.2.1 Temporal Variation of Radiation Intensity.- 1.2.2 Detection Methods.- 1.3 Interface Systems.- 1.3.1 Homogeneous Phases with Ideal Boundaries.- 1.3.2 Random Media.- 1.3.3 Films and Layered Structures.- 1.4 Applications.- 1.4.1 Spectroscopy.- 1.4.2 Distribution of Energy.- 1.4.3 Transport Processes.- 1.4.4 Nondestructive Evaluation.- 1.5 Discussion of the Literature.- References.- 2. Desorption Stimulated by Electronic Excitation with Laser Light.- 2.1 Stimulated Desorption - An Overview.- 2.2 Desorption Induced by Laser Light.- 2.2.1 General Considerations.- 2.2.2 Desorption Stimulated by Laser-Induced Electronic Excitation.- 2.3 Laser-Induced Desorption Stimulated by Surface Plasmon Excitation.- 2.3.1 Method and Experiment.- 2.3.2 Results.- 2.3.3 Interpretation.- 2.3.4 Applications - Towards Monodisperse Particles on Supports.- 2.4 Conclusions and Outlook.- References.- 3. Time-of-Flight Analysis of IR and UV Laser-Induced Multilayer Desorption and Ablation.- 3.1 Background.- 3.1.1 Lasers in Surface Science.- 3.1.2 Laser-Induced Desorption and Ablation.- 3.1.3 Scope of Review.- 3.2 Desorption and Ablation.- 3.2.1 Resonant IR and UV Excitation.- 3.2.2 Mechanisms.- 3.2.3 Energy Considerations.- 3.3 Time-of-Flight Technique.- 3.3.1 Experimental Determination of Time-of-Flight Distributions.- 3.3.2 Theory of Time-of-Flight Distributions.- 3.3.3 Analysis of Time-of-Flight Distributions.- 3.4 IR Laser-Induced Desorption and Ablation.- 3.4.1 Overview of Systems.- 3.4.2 Wavelength Effects.- 3.4.3 Fluence Dependence.- 3.4.4 Selectivity and Mechanisms.- 3.5 UV Laser-Induced Desorption and Ablation.- 3.5.1 Overview of Systems.- 3.5.2 Photochemical Effects.- 3.5.3 Photothermal Effects.- 3.5.4 Real Systems.- 3.6 Conclusions.- References.- 4. From Laser-Induced Desorption to Surface Damage.- 4.1 Overview.- 4.2 Metals.- 4.2.1 Photothermal Deformation.- 4.2.2 Multiphoton Photoemission.- 4.2.3 Damage Threshold of Metals.- 4.2.4 Plasma Formation.- 4.3 Wide Band Gap Ionic Materials.- 4.3.1 Photothermal Deformation of Sapphire.- 4.3.2 Nonthermal Desorption of Neutrals.- 4.3.3 Multiphoton-Stimulated Emission of Charged Particles.- 4.3.4 Photoacoustic Determination of Damage Thresholds.- 4.4 Concluding Remarks.- References.- 5. Photothermal Analysis of Thin Films.- 5.1 Photothermal and Photoacoustic Effect in Thin Films.- 5.1.1 Signal Generation Process.- 5.1.2 Detection Methods.- 5.1.3 Instrumentation.- 5.2 Spectroscopy of Thin Films.- 5.2.1 Semiconducting Films.- 5.2.2 Dielectric and Metallic Films.- 5.2.3 Spectroscopy of Layered Films.- 5.2.4 Nonradiative Quantum Yield.- 5.3 Thermal Analysis of Thin Films.- 5.3.1 Thermal Diffusivity.- 5.3.2 Film Thickness.- 5.3.3 Phase Transitions.- 5.4 Ultrasonic Analysis of Thin Films.- 5.5 Nondestructive Evaluation of Thin Films.- 5.5.1 Depth Profiling.- 5.5.2 Imaging.- 5.6 Miscellaneous Thin Film Applications.- 5.6.1 Plasmon Detection.- 5.6.2 Ferromagnetic Resonance.- 5.7 Conclusion.- References.- 6. Photothermal Characterization of Surfaces and Interfaces.- 6.1 Photoacoustic Generation and Transducer Detection.- 6.1.1 Pulsed PA Imaging of Thin Layered Structures.- 6.1.2 Pulsed PA Monitoring of Laser-Induced Etching or Damage.- 6.2 Photothermal Probe-Beam Refractions.- 6.2.1 Detection of Laser-Induced Thermal Desorption in Atmospheric Conditions.- 6.3 Photothermal Radiometry.- 6.3.1 Spectroscopy and Thickness Measurements by Analysis of the Early Part of the PTR Line Shape.- 6.3.2 Subsurface Air Gap and Contact Resistance Measurement by Analysis of the Late Part of the PTR Line Shape.- 6.4 Conclusions.- References.- 7. Spectroscopic Depth Profiling Using Thermal Waves.- 7.1 Theory.- 7.1.1 Analytical Approaches.- 7.1.2 Digital Simulation.- 7.1.3 Information Content of Depth Profiling Experiments.- 7.2 Experimental Methods.- 7.2.1 Single-Frequency Measurements.-