This book describes the ultra-short laser–matter interactions from the subtle atomic motion to the generation of extreme pressures inside the bulk of a transparent crystal. It is the successor to Femtosecond Laser–Matter Interactions: Theory, Experiment and Applications (2011). Explanation and experimental verification of the exceptional technique for the phase transformations under high pressure are in the core of the book. The novel phase formation occurs along the unique solid-plasmasolid transformation path: the memory of the initial state is lost after conversion to plasma. New phase forms from chaos during the cooling to the ambient. The pressure-affected material remains detained inside a pristine crystal at the laboratory tabletop. Unique super-dense aluminium and new phases of silicon were created by the confined micro-explosions. The text also describes the recent studies that used the quasi-non-diffracting Bessel beams. The applications comprise the new high-pressure material formation and micromachining. The book is an appealing source for readers interested in the cutting-edge research exploring extreme conditions and creating nanostructures at the laboratory tabletop.

Eugene G. Gamaly received an MSc from Moscow State University (1958), PhD from the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre (1970), and DSc and Professorship in Physics from P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (1980). He worked for the Federal Nuclear Centre in the fields of high-temperature/-density plasma physics and nuclear fission/fusion (1958–1973). He joined P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute on the invitation of Prof. Basov, a Nobel laureate. His work within Prof. Basov’s team featured pioneering research on laser-induced fusion and on the fundamentals of short/intense laser–matter interaction (1973–1992). Prof. Gamaly worked for the Australian National University (1992–2015) on the ultra-short laser–matter interactions comprising the studies from the gentle phonon excitation up to unique material formation at the extreme energy density. He has authored or co-authored two books, 25 book chapters and more than 300 papers in refereed journals.