This book introduces the basic theoretical concepts required for the
analysis of the optical response of semiconductor systems in the
coherent regime. It is the most instructive textbook on the theory and
optical effects of semiconductors. The entire presentation is based on a
one-dimensional tight-binding model. Starting with discrete-level
systems, increasing complexity is added gradually to the model by
including band-structure and many-particle interaction. Various linear
and nonlinear optical spectra and temporal phenomena are studied. The
analysis of many-body effects in nonlinear optical phenomena covers a
major part of the book.