This book originates from lectures delivered at the First International School "Laser-surface interactions for new materials production: tailoring structure and properties" that was held in San Servolo Island, Venice (Italy) from 13 to 20 July, 2008 under the direction of A. Miotello and P. M. Ossi. The purpose of the School was to provide the students (mainly PhD) with a compreh- sive overview of basic aspects and applications connected to the laser-matter interaction both to modify surface properties and to prepare new materials by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at the nanometer scale. The...