Manipulating electron wave packets

Technological advances over the last decade have led to a significant amount of research being aimed at investigating the time-dependent behaviour of electron wave packets. The ultimate goal is to generate customized wave packets that can control electronic processes in atoms and molecules. Coherent control schemes involving electron wave packets have proved to be of fundamental importance in our quest to understand quantum phenomena. Exotic quantum states: such as the Schrodinger cat states have been excited and studied. The wavefunction of a wave packet may now be characterized completely at-id manipulated into a new form. Autoionization of electron dynamics in complex two-electron systems can be suppressed. Electron wave packets have been excited in molecules. This review provides an overview of the relatively new and rapidly expanding field of electron wave-packet manipulation with particular focus on the experimental achievements and their implications.