Author Description

This volume provides a non-mathematical introduction to electronic excitation in organic molecules and offers an integrated view of the principles of electronic spectroscopy, photophysics, and photochemistry. This is the first book to incorporate recent advances in understanding the role of conical intersections in photochemical and photophysical processes. Throughout the book, the concepts of potential energy surfaces, bonding theory, molecular electronic structure, and their relationship to the understanding of photochemistry are emphasized. Simple and initiative qualitative models are used to explain how electronic structures may be probed with ordinary and polarized light. Every chapter contains extensive references and worked examples to illustrate practical applications of the theories presented.