Analysis and control of small isolated molecular systems -- Complex systems in the gas phase -- Coherence and control of molecular dynamics in rare gas matrices -- Ultrafast dynamics of photoinduced processes at surfaces and interfaces -- Molecules and clusters in strong laser fields -- Vibrational dynamics of hydrogen bonds -- Observing molecular structure changes and dynamics in polar solution -- Biological systems: Applications and perspectives.

The present monograph summarizes, in a comprehensive way, several years of joint experimental and theoretical frontier research on ultrafast laser-induced molecular dynamics and its control. Emphasis is set on the characterization of the nuclear dynamics within molecular systems in various environments (gas phase, surfaces, solids, solution, strong fields) triggered by optical excitations spanning from the infrared to the ultraviolet. Building on the converged analysis between experiment and theory, control of chemical reactions is established by means of optimally shaped laser pulses. This paves the road toward new applications and future challenges in this rapidly developing research field.