This book is intended to provide a much needed systematic exposition of the mathematical methods of quantum optics, something that is not found in existing books. It is primarily addressed to researchers who are new to the field. The emphasis, therefore, is on a simple and self-contained, yet concise, presentation. It provides a unified view of the concepts and the methods of quantum optics and aims to prepare a reader to handle specific situations. A number of formulae scattered throughout the scientific literature are also brought together in a natural manner. The broad plan of the book is to introduce first the basic physics and mathematical concepts, then to apply them to construct the model hamilto nians of the atom-field interaction and the master equation for an atom-field system interacting with the environment, and to analyze the equations so obtained. A brief description of the contents of the chapters is as follows.weiterlesen