Fluorescence imaging of reactive processes

Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy has emerged as the most powerful analytical tool to image reactive processes in a variety of systems. The purpose of the article is to review state-of-the-art example applications from a variety of research fields, which make use of LIF imaging for the visualisation of chemical reactions. Examples range from gas phase diagnostics of reacting flows to biomedical applications. There is a growing trend in the spectroscopy community to "work across disciplines" and one aim of this article is to highlight common principles behind seemingly unconnected research applications and to provide an incentive for spectroscopists to find novel application areas for their techniques and to point them to relevant literature.