This expanded and updated well-established textbook contains an advanced presentationof quantum mechanics adapted to the requirements of modern atomic physics. Itincludes topics of current interest such as semiclassical theory, chaos, atom optics andBose-Einstein condensation in atomic gases. In order to facilitate the consolidationof the material covered, various problems are included, together with completesolutions. The emphasis on theory enables the reader to appreciate the fundamentalassumptions underlying standard theoretical constructs and to embark on independentresearch projects. The fourth edition of Theoretical Atomic Physics contains anupdated treatment of the sections involving scattering theory and near-thresholdphenomena manifest in the behaviour of cold atoms (and molecules). Special attentionis given to the quantization of weakly bound states just below the continuum thresholdand to low-energy scattering and quantum reflection just above. Particular emphasisis laid on the fundamental differences between long-ranged Coulombic potentialsand shorter-ranged potentials falling off faster than 1/r2 at large distances r. The newsections on tunable near-threshold Feshbach resonances and on scattering in two spatialdimensions also address problems relevant for current and future research in the fieldof cold (and ultra-cold) atoms. Graduate students and researchers will find this book avaluable resource and comprehensive reference alike.

This expanded and updated well-established textbook contains an advanced presentationof quantum mechanics adapted to the requirements of modern atomic physics. Itincludes topics of current interest such as semiclassical theory, chaos, atom optics andBose-Einstein condensation in atomic gases. In order to facilitate the consolidationof the material covered, various problems are included, together with completesolutions. The emphasis on theory enables the reader to appreciate the fundamentalassumptions underlying standard theoretical constructs and to embark on independentresearch projects. The fourth edition of Theoretical Atomic Physics contains anupdated treatment of the sections involving scattering theory and near-thresholdphenomena manifest in the behaviour of cold atoms (and molecules). Special attentionis given to the quantization of weakly bound states just below the continuum thresholdand to low-energy scattering and quantum reflection just above. Particular emphasisis laid on the fundamental differences between long-ranged Coulombic potentialsand shorter-ranged potentials falling off faster than 1/r2 at large distances r. The newsections on tunable near-threshold Feshbach resonances and on scattering in two spatialdimensions also address problems relevant for current and future research in the fieldof cold (and ultra-cold) atoms. Graduate students and researchers will find this book avaluable resource and comprehensive reference alike.

This corrected and updated second edition of "Scattering Theory" presents a concise and modern coverage of the subject. In the present treatment, special attention is given to the role played by the long-range behaviour of the projectile-target interaction, and a theory is developed, which is well suited to describe near-threshold bound and continuum states in realistic binary systems such as diatomic molecules or molecular ions. It is motivated by the fact that experimental advances have shifted and broadened the scope of applications where concepts from scattering theory are used, e.g. to the field of ultracold atoms and molecules, which has been experiencing enormous growth in recent years, largely triggered by the successful realization of Bose-Einstein condensates of dilute atomic gases in 1995. The book contains sections on special topics such as near-threshold quantization, quantum reflection, Feshbach resonances and the quantum description of scattering in two dimensions. The level of abstraction is kept as low as at all possible and deeper questions related to the mathematical foundations of scattering theory are passed by. It should be understandable for anyone with a basic knowledge of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. The book is intended for advanced students and researchers, and it is hoped that it will be useful for theorists and experimentalists alike.

This corrected and updated second edition of "Scattering Theory" presents a concise and modern coverage of the subject. In the present treatment, special attention is given to the role played by the long-range behaviour of the projectile-target interaction, and a theory is developed, which is well suited to describe near-threshold bound and continuum states in realistic binary systems such as diatomic molecules or molecular ions. It is motivated by the fact that experimental advances have shifted and broadened the scope of applications where concepts from scattering theory are used, e.g. to the field of ultracold atoms and molecules, which has been experiencing enormous growth in recent years, largely triggered by the successful realization of Bose-Einstein condensates of dilute atomic gases in 1995. The book contains sections on special topics such as near-threshold quantization, quantum reflection, Feshbach resonances and the quantum description of scattering in two dimensions. The level of abstraction is kept as low as at all possible and deeper questions related to the mathematical foundations of scattering theory are passed by. It should be understandable for anyone with a basic knowledge of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. The book is intended for advanced students and researchers, and it is hoped that it will be useful for theorists and experimentalists alike.

In this book, a number of the world's leading researchers in quantum, classical and atomic physics cooperate to present an up-to-date account of the recent progress in the field. The first part highlights the latest advances in semiclassical theory, whilst the second one is devoted to applications to atomic systems. The authors present the material in pedagogical form to make it easy reading for non-specialists, too. Among the topics treated, the reader will find a new quasiclassical quantization scheme for Hamiltonian dynamics, an application of the semiclassical formalism to photodissociation of small molecules and to the Lorentz gas and discussions of tunneling corrections. Furthermore, one finds papers on chaotic ionization, on the behaviour of hydrogen atoms in external fields, e.g. magnetic or microwave fields.

Nach einem kurzen Repititorium der Quantenmechanik und einer knappen, exemplarischen Darstellung konventioneller Atomtheorie erlautert H. Friedrich die Struktur atomarer Spektren mit Hilfe der Quantendefekttheorie, die erstmals in einem Lehrbuch beschrieben wird. Unter anderem werden hochangeregte Zustande und der Einfluss ausserer Felder untersucht, der schon in einfachen Atomen interessante und vielschichtige Effekte hervorrufen kann. Neben einfachen Reaktionen werden spezielle Themen wie Multiphoton-Absorption und Chaos dargestellt, die in jungerer Zeit intensiv und teilweise kontrovers diskutiert werden.