Аннотация:Rapid advances in instrumentation, laser technology and detection, sensing and analyzing techniqueshave led to very fast developments in the field of molecular spectroscopy. Special mention in this regardmay be made of vibrational spectroscopy where the advanced techniques of infrared (IR) andRaman spectroscopy combined with the theoretical techniques of quantum chemistry, chemometricsand multivariate statistics have opened the doors not only for its traditional applications such as establishingthe nature of substances and molecular structure determination but also in vast and varied areassuch as material science, biology, medical diagnostics, environmental science, industrial process control,homeland security, and space exploration etcetera. The technological advancements have resultedin improvements in both the dispersive and interferometric IR and Raman spectroscopic techniquesgiving rise to Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy, ratiorecordingdispersive spectrometers, optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, and IR and Raman imaging.Rapid advancements are taking place in the field of near-infrared spectroscopy, which is nowcompeting with mid-IR and Raman spectroscopy and is finding applications even in areas such as bioanalyticalresearch and medical diagnosis. New advancements have been made in the field of complementaryvibrational spectroscopy to combine IR and Raman spectroscopy in a dual model approach tosimultaneously obtain the IR and Raman spectra at a given measurement position in the sample. Thedevelopment of laser sources, both continuous and pulsed, with appropriate parameters, has given anew boost to Raman spectroscopy and has resulted in the creation of different variants of IR andRaman spectroscopy that are being used in the study of solids, liquids, and gases. In particular, thequantum cascade lasers and interband cascade lasers, which are compact and versatile IR laser source,having wide spectral coverage and tunability across significant spectral windows, and outperformdiode lasers operating at the same wavelength by more than 1000 in terms of power, have led tosteadily decreasing limits of detection achieving trace and ultratrace concentration levels. The problemof very low intensity Raman signals has been resolved by exciting localized surface plasmon resonancesin noble metals and other free-electron metal nanostructure surfaces resulting in signal strengthenhancement by factors of 1012e1014, as in the case of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)and tip-enhanced Raman Scattering (TERS). SERS and TERS have found wide applications as ultrasensitivetechniques in spectroscopic imaging with nanometer-scale resolution, study of 3D structuresin macromolecular proteins, and living cells, and in materials science, biomedical research, polymerresearch. A combination of thin-layer chromatography and SERS, as in TLC-SERS, has given rise to avery sensitive technique for the analysis of mixtures. Likewise, the development of high-power, broadband,narrow bandwidth, pulsed and continuous terahertz (THz) sources, highly sensitive radiation detectorsand new components have given a big boost to research in the field of time-domain THzspectroscopy and imaging, which is finding wide applications in material characterization and processcontrol. New developments have taken place in the field of both linear and nonlinear chiroptical spectroscopy,which are based on the differential interaction of a chiral molecule with left- and rightcircularlypolarized light. In particular, Raman optical activity (ROA), due to the insensitivity ofRaman scattering to water, makes it a preferential technique for molecular stereochemistry and conformationaldynamics studies in biology and the pharmaceutical sciences. The coherent-ROA spectroscopytechniques such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering-ROA (CARS-ROA) spectroscopycan now enhance the ROA signals by several orders of magnitude and can be used for the study ofasymmetric reactions which are very important in pharmaceutical industry. In the study of excited states and in dynamic processes such as slow, fast, and ultrafast chemical reactions, the IR and Ramanspectroscopies have proved to be invaluable assets as a study of the vibrational spectrum can providedetailed structural information and hence a unique insight in the biological and chemical excited states.Considerable advancements have taken place in the areas of step-scan FTIR spectroscopy, preferablyused in the study of reversible reactions, and the time-resolved infrared pump-probe techniques thatcan measure IR transients produced by laser excitation on any timescale (10 13 to 10 3 s) withvery high sensitivity and time-resolution which is enough to follow even the bond breakage and formation,and energy and electron transfer processes in complex molecular systems. Several linear andnon-linear Raman time-resolved spectroscopy techniques, more prominently the transient-CARS,time-resolved vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy, ultrafast Raman loss spectroscopy,stimulated Raman scattering, and Femtosecond stimulated Raman scattering are in use for probing thevibrational dynamics in the electronic ground and excited states and to provide structural information.Ultrafast SERS, which combines the benefits of SERS with the time-resolution of ultrafast vibrationalspectroscopy, can watch reaction of even a single molecule in the time-scale of nuclear motion.The advancements in all the areas of molecular and laser spectroscopy are regularly being reportedin scientific journals and scientific reviews from time to time, but to people having no advance knowledgeof the subject, it is often difficult to find a coherent representation of the basic principles and thecurrent advances in several areas from the many articles spread over many journals. Keeping in viewthe main objective of the present book series “Molecular and laser spectroscopy: Advancements andapplications,” as in the previous two volumes, we are presently reporting a complete development ofthe subject in a book-like fashion to impart the most up-to-date information. Starting from the basicsand fundamental principles, each chapter develops the subject in a systematic and authentic mannerand goes on to describe the latest advancements, both in terms of techniques and applications, andhighlights the future projections. The present volume is primarily concerned with vibrational spectroscopyand focuses on all the above-mentioned advancements which were not covered in the previousvolumes. Leading scientists and subject experts selected globally from countries like Austria, Canada,China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the UnitedStates of America have contributed chapters to the book in their respective areas of research givingit an international flavor. I am hopeful that this book will prove to be an intellectual treat for our readerswho would enjoy and appreciate this ensemble of chapters as before.I wholeheartedly extend my sincere thanks toward all the contributors who have brilliantly writtenthese academically valuable manuscripts within a given timeline. My wife, Madhu, has always been apillar of support and with her love and understanding has motivated me to take up the most ambitiousand challenging academic ventures, from time to time. I appreciate and acknowledge her vital presencethroughout the making of the book.My children and grandchildren Manjari, Vikas, Ashish, Nidhi, Pulkit,Divayum, and Shubhang have always encouraged me and have showered their deepest affection toenable me to take up new projects with renewed vigor.