Chapter 1: Laser Fundamentals

Applications of light–matter interaction have exploded in recent years due to the multitude of enhancements in laser technology. The development of nanoparticle research has also grown in leaps and bounds in recent decades, leading to a major development in quantum dots. The year 2023 was a special year of celebration for these fields as researchers in them were simultaneously awarded two Nobel Prizes. In this chapter, we first introduce some fundamental aspects of lasers and then show their impact on the study and measurement of events happening at the nanoscale. We show the importance of the spatial and temporal aspects of laser interactions, including the various possible aspects of ultrashort pulse shaping, resulting in the control and manipulation of nanoparticles.