Since the publication of the first edition of this book, there have been many im portant new developments in the field of molecular physics. The new methods and results which are most significant for students are treated extensively in this second edition. Among these are in particular single-molecule spectroscopy and the field of molecular electronics, which is in a stage of rapid development, including the areas of electroluminescence and organic light-emitting diodes. In addition, we have ex tended and corrected the earlier material in a number of places. We have also included exercises in this new edition; they will allow students to deepen their understanding and offer a basis for further individual study. The complete solutions to the exercises can be found on the Internet under www. springeronline. com/3-540-40792-S. We are grateful to Mr. C. -D. Bachem and Dr. Th. Schneider of the Springer Verlag for their continuous and very agreeable cooperation during the preparation of the book. We thank our colleague Prof. W. D. Brewer for his competent translation. Stuttgart, February 2004 H. Haken . H. C. Wolf Preface to the First Edition This textbook is intended for use by students of physics, physical chemistry, and theoretical chemistry. The reader is presumed to have a basic knowledge of atomic and quantum physics at the level provided, for example, by the first few chapters in our book The Physics of Atoms and Quanta.

1 Introduction

2 Mechanical Properties of Molecules, Their Size and Mass
3 Molecules in Electric and Magnetic Fields
4 Introduction to the Theory of Chemical Bonding
5 Symmetries and Symmetry Operations: A First Overview
6 Symmetries and Symmetry Operations. A Systematic Approach
7 The Multi-Electron Problem in Molecular Physics and Quantum Chemistry
8 Overview of Molecular Spectroscopy Techniques
9 Rotational Spectroscopy
10 Vibrational Spectroscopy
11 The Quantum-Mechanical Treatment of Rotational and Vibrational Spectra
12 Raman Spectra
13 Electronic States
14 The Electronic Spectra of Molecules
15 Further Remarks on the Techniques of Molecular Spectroscopy
16 The Interaction of Molecules with Light: Quantum-Mechanical Treatment
17 Theoretical Treatment of the Raman Effect and the Elements of Nonlinear Optics
18 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
19 Electron Spin Resonance
20 Macromolecules, Biomolecules, and Supermolecules
21 Experiments on and withSingle Molecules
22 Molecular Electronics and Other Applications
A. 1 The Calculation of Expectation Values Using Wavefunctions Represented by Determinants
A.l.l Calculation of Determinants
A.1.2 Calculation of Expectation Values
A.2 Calculation of the Density of Radiation
Fundamental Constants of Atomic Physics (Inside Front Cover)
Energy Conversion Table (Inside Back Cover).