With the maturation of laser technology in diagnostic and conservation applications, conservation scientists, archeologists, art historians, researchers, and advanced science-oriented students now have the tools necessary for preserving the future of our past-our cultural heritage. Presenting recent developments in the field, Lasers in the Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Principles and Applications addresses the basic concepts of laser applications and supplies case studies of analytical, structural diagnostic, and laser cleaning applications. The book provides a comprehensive presentation of the fundamental principles and applications of modern laser technology in the analysis of composition, diagnostics of structural integrity, and conservation of artworks and antiquities. Beginning with an introduction to the basic techniques used in art conservation and archeology, the book describes the fundamental aspects of laser-matter interactions, emphasizing laser diagnostics and laser processing applications. The next few chapters focus on laser-based spectroscopic techniques for the analysis of the composition of materials in art and archaeology, including laser-induced breakdown, Raman, and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. The book proceeds to highlight nondestructive diagnostic techniques, laser processing applications, laser applications for the cleaning of paintings and stone, and methods for the removal of encrustations. It concludes with case studies for the conservation of materials like parchment, paper, metal, ivory, and wood, and includes conservation approaches for modern paintings. Bridging science with art, Lasers in the Preservation of Cultural Heritage presents a systematic overview of the fundamentals and applications of laser techniques in artwork conservation and archeological science.

The use of lasers which emit infra-red radiation and sophisticated detectors of IR radiation is increasing dramatically: they are being used for long-distance fibre-optic communications and remote environmental monitoring and sensing. Thus they are of interest to the telecommunications industry and the military in particular. This book has been designed to bring together what is known on these devices, using an international group of contributors.

The Interaction of High-Power Lasers with Plasmas provides a thorough self-contained discussion of the physical processes occurring in laser-plasma interactions, including a detailed review of the relevant plasma and laser physics. The book analyzes laser absorption and propagation, electron transport, and the relevant plasma waves in detail. It also discusses the physics of the electric and magnetic fields in a laser-induced plasma medium, laser-induced shock waves, rarefaction waves, heat waves, and the related hydrodynamic instabilities (Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and Kelvin-Helmholtz).
A pedagogical presentation, the book addresses the basic physics issues from first principles, using simple models wherever appropriate. The coverage provides a foundation on which the graduate student can build an understanding of the past and present research in this field. For the experienced researcher, the book is a comprehensive and useful presentation of laser-plasma interactions.

Contents:
Introduction to the Series Preface List of Notation and Symbols Introduction 1. Development of the Combined Laser-Arc Processes for Joining and Treatment of Materials (Survey) 1.1 Effects of the Simultaneous Action of the Laser Beam and the Electric Arc on a Workpiece 1.2 Schemes for Partical Realisation of Laser-Arc Welding, Cutting and Surface Treatment 1.3 Energy Characteristics and Technological Potentialities of the Combined Laser-Arc Heat Source 1.4 Mutual Effects of the Laser Beam and the Electric Arc in Combined Processes 2. Laser Beam-Arc Plasma Interaction and the Combined Discharge 2.1 Physical Basis of Laser Beam and Arc Plasma Interaction and Mathematical Model of the Laser-Arc Discharge 2.2 Thermal, Transport and Optical Properties of the Combined Discharge Plasma 2.3 Analysis of the Results of the Laser-Arc Discharge Simulation 3. Integrated Plasma Torches for Laser-Arc Processes 3.1 Methods and Devices for Practical Realisation of the Combined Discharge 3.2 Theoretical Basis and Calculation Technique of the Laser-Arc Plasma Torches 3.3 Simulation of the Integrated Plasma Torch for Laser-Plasma Powder Deposition 4. Practical Applications of Laser-Arc Processes 4.1 Hybrid Serial (Combined) Methods - Two Kinds of Laser-Arc Processes 4.2 Laser + Gas Tungsten Arc Welding 4.3 Laser + Gas Metal Arc Welding 4.4 Laser + Plasma Arc Welding 4.5 Combined Laser Beam + Submerged Arc Welding 4.6 Combined Laser Beam + HIGH SPEED Welding 4.7 Hybrid Carbon Dioxide + High Power Diode Laser Welding 4.8 Laser Aided Thermal Spraying and Powder Cladding References Index

This thesis discusses the power scaling of ultrashort pulses in enhancement cavities, utilized in particular for frequency conversion processes, such as Thomson scattering and high-harmonic generation. Using custom optics for ultrashort-pulse enhancement cavities, it demonstrates for the first time that at the envisaged power levels, the mitigation of thermal effects becomes indispensable even in cavities comprising solely reflective optics. It also studies cavities with large beams, albeit with low misalignment sensitivity, as a way to circumvent intensity-induced mirror damage. Average powers of several hundred kilowatts are demonstrated, which benefit hard x-ray sources based on Thomson scattering. Furthermore, pulses as short as 30 fs were obtained at more than 10 kW of average power and employed for high-harmonic generation with photon energies exceeding 100 eV at 250 MHz repetition rate, paving the way for frequency comb spectroscopy in this spectral region.

The 22nd International Free Electron Laser Conference and 7th FEL User Workshop were held August 13-18, 2000 at Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina, USA. The conference and the workshop were hosted by Duke University's Free Electron laser (FEL) Laboratory. Following tradition, the FEL prize award was announced at the banquet. The year 2000 FEL prize was awarded to three scientists propelling the limits of high power FELs: Steven Benson, Eisuke Minehara and George Neill.
The conference program was comprised of traditional oral sessions on First Lasing, FEL theory, storage ring FELs, linac and high power FELs, long wavelength FELs, SASE FELs, accelerator and FEL physics and technology, and new developments and proposals. Two sessions on accelerator and FEL physics and technology reflected the emphasis on the high quality of accelerators and components for modern FELs. The breadth of the applications was presented in the workshop oral sessions on materials processing, biomedical and surgical applications, physics and chemistry as well as on instrumentation and methods for FEL applications. A special oral session was dedicated to FEL center status reports for users to learn more about the opportunities with FELs. As usual, the oral sessions were supplemented by poster sessions with in-depth discussions and communications. The FEL physicists and FEL users had excellent opportunities to interact throughout the duration of the event, culminating a Joint Sessions. The year 2000 was very successful being marked by lasing with two SASE and one storage ring short-wavelength FELs, and by the first human surgery with the use of FEL, to mention but a few. The International Program Committee and chairs of the sessions had the challenging and exciting problem of selecting invived and contributed talks for the conferences and the workshop from the influx of abstracts mentioning new results and ideas. The success of the conference was determined by these contributions. Scientists from 15 countries gave 70 talks, presented 176 posters and submitted 146 papers, which are published in the present volume of proceedings.

Chemistry of High-Energy Materials continues in this new and revised 6th edition to provide fundamental scientifi c insights into primary and secondary explosives, propellants, rocket fuels and pyrotechnics. It expands with new research developments, including new melt casts, reactive structure materials, a computational study on the detonation velocity of mixtures of solid explosives with non-explosive liquids, calculation of craters after explosions. This work is of interest to advanced students in chemistry, materials science and engineering, as well as to all those working in military and defense technology.

This book discusses both the theoretical and practical aspects of optics, photonics and lasers, presenting new methods, technologies, advanced prototypes, systems, tools and techniques as well as a general survey indicating future trends and directions. The main fields addressed include nonlinear optical phenomena, photonics for energy, high-field phenomena, photonic and optoelectronic sensors and devices, optical communications, biomedical optics and photonics. It also covers a large spectrum of materials, ranging from semiconductor-based optical materials to optical glasses, organic materials, photorefractive materials and nanophotonic materials, as well as applications such as metrology, optometry, adaptive optics, all optical instrumentation, optical communications, quantum information, lighting technologies, energy harvesting and optically based biomedical diagnosis and therapeutics.

Discusses the essential principles, operating characteristics, and cur rent technology of the main fiber laser and amplifier devices based on rare-earth-doped silica and fluorozirconate fibers. Describes the pri nciples, designs, and properties of the erbium-doped fiber amplifier a nd its role as the cornerstone component in optical communication syst ems. Second Edition contains more than 75% new or revised materials re flecting major developments in academia and industry.

This is a new and greatly expanded edition of what has become one of the best-known introductions to the principles, techniques, and applications of optical holography. Where necessary, existing sections have been updated, and two new chapters, on holographic optical elements and advanced techniques in holographic interferometry, have been added. The book begins by presenting the theory of holographic imaging, the characteristics of the reconstructed image, and the various types of holograms. Practical aspects of holography are then covered (including optical systems, light sources, and recording media), as are the production of holograms for display, colour holography and computer-generated holograms. A variety of the applications of holography are then discussed in detail, such as high-resolution imaging, holographic optical elements, information storage and processing, and holographic interferometry, including vibration analysis and holographic interferometry with photorefractive crystals. This book assumes only undergraduate training in science or engineering and contains more than 1,000 selected references; anyone wishing to learn more about optical holography, as well as established researchers and engineers in this field, will find it invaluable.

This reference focuses on the current state of fundamental research and industrial achievements in the field of precision laser processing of a wide range of metal, semiconductor and dielectric materials. The possibilities of microprocessing by pulsed nanosecond laser radiation and copper vapor laser systems are analyzed. Design and operation principles, ways to increase their efficiency and reliability, and a series of modern automated technological installations are described. The work will be of interest to specialists, engineers, students and graduate students working and studying in the field of laser technology and optics, laser and information technology.

The FEL field has grown enormously over the last years, which is reflected in the number of papers presented at the 1998 conference. A few specific areas in FEL are particularly active. Several groups are investigating self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) as a route to 0.1 nm FEL. Although the technical challenges are large, a growing portion of the community believes this is a feasible goal and have begun planning 4th generation light sources based on this technique. Already, demonstrations of SASE by many orders of magnitude in an unguided (by external means) optical mode have been achieved in the IR with extension into the UV soon to follow. Other groups are extending the applications of FELs by evolutionary changes in the capabilities of user facilities around the world. Many of these utilize other sources of radiation synchronously with tunable FEL beams. An emerging trend is th use of Thompson scattered photons from the electron beam. Because of the Doppler shift involved, the photons can be up-scattered into the X-ray (keV) or even gamma ray (MeV) regime forming a useful picosecond probe for analysis of materials or nuclear structure. Other groups continue to extend the range of FEL operation and a new record was set this year for short wavelength lasing (210nm) as well as production of the highest CW average power yet for a FEL (311 W).

This exhaustive volume will provide the reader with an appreciation of the state of FEL technology and convey also the sense of excitement and interest that exists in the field. Despite the fact that it has been 22 years since the first demonstration of lasing in a FEL oscillator, the field continues to provide interesting areas for study and application.

Lasers in Analytical Atomic Spectroscopy Edited by Joseph Sneddon • Terry L. Thiem • Yong-Ill Lee This book focuses primarily on the use of lasers in analytical atomic spectroscopy with optical detection, and also includes a chapter describing the use of lasers in inductively coupled plasma—mass spectroscopy (ICP—MS). The book begins with a brief introduction to atomic spectroscopy and lasers, providing the reader with basic theory and information on instrumentation in conventional atomic spectroscopy. Next, the properties, types, and principles of lasers are discussed using a non-mathematical approach. The main section of the book provides detailed descriptions of the four major areas of laser application in analytical atomic spectroscopy, each discussed by an expert in the field: laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LEAFS); laser ablation for sample introduction, particularly in inductively coupled plasma—atomic emission spectrometry (ICP—AES) and ICP—MS; laser induced breakdown (emission) spectrometry (LIBS); and laser-enhanced ionization (LEI) spectrometry. Lasers in Analytical Atomic Spectroscopy will be of interest to spectroscopists, analytical chemists, and graduate students in these areas. Also available from VCH Applied Laser Spectroscopy Techniques, Instrumentation, and Applications D.L. Andrews, ed. Hardcover. ISBN 1-56081-023-8 Inductively Coupled Plasmas in Analytical Atomic Spectroscopy Second, Revised and Enlarged Edition A. Montaser and D.W. Golightly, eds. Hardcover. ISBN 1-56081-514-0 Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Second, Completely Revised Edition B. Welz Hardcover. ISBN 3-527-26193-1

This volume contains Part II of the proceedings of the conference on Free Electron Lasers, held in Beijing, August 1997. Part I appears in a special issue of "Nuclear Instruments and Methods A." The last 20 years has seen different stages of FEL development. In these proceedings the reader will find descriptions of many new facilities, new experimental results, new applications, new theoretical developments and new simulation results. Attention is also focussed on the recent progress in experimental observations SASE. The contributions are from 150 scientists from 13 countries, ensuring broad, up-to-date research results from a dynamic field.

Understanding Laser Accidents provides a comprehensive reference addressing a wide a spectrum of laser accidents. The under-reporting and misreporting of laser accidents creates a blind spot for the laser management of institutions, laser users and laser safety officers. This book attempts to lift that veil. By giving details of why laser accidents occur, accident preparation, where to find laser accident information, elements of laser accident investigation, role of lessons learned and regulatory oversight of laser use. Chapters include a look at pilot illumination, fiber telecommunication, light show incidents and more as well as a detailed and honest review of three laser events that hold a mirror up to researchers and industrial laser users. * Provides a comprehensive, single source devoted to laser accidents * Covers elements of laser accident preparedness * Provides detailed analysis of some laser accidents that share common threads across the research and industrial environment * Contains information on where to find laser accident information * Extensive information on the illumination of pilots * Reviews laser regulatory oversight, non-beam hazards and laser safety tools

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the field of free electron lasers. Each chapter is based on a graduate-level lecture given by an internationally known expert in the field, and is self-contained, beginning with introductory background material and culminating in an in-depth discussion of the author's current research. Written with both the student physicist and the active researcher in mind, this book is sure to be a valuable reference for graduate students and professionals alike.

This practical handbook describes the basic principles and applications of confocal laser scanning microscopy. Information is given on the purpose of, and practical requirements for, the different imaging modes. Guidance is also provided on sample preparation and imaging protocols. The limitations and sensitivity of each method are discussed, imaging applications are illustrated and recent developments in the field are described.

Laser approaches to combustion diagnostics are of considerable interest due to their remote, non-intrusive and in-situ character, unlimited temperature capability, and potential for simultaneous temporal and spatial resolution. This book aims to make these powerful and important new tools in combustion research understandable. Focuses on spectroscopically-based, spatially-precise, laser techniques for temperature and chemical composition measurements in reacting and non-reacting flows. Following introductory chapters on basic spectroscopy, laser physics, experimental methods and practical considerations, treats each of the major techniques in some detail, replete with measurement examples and references. Concludes with a treatment of field methods which employs the various techniques to perform measurements simultaneously over a two-dimensional slice of the medium being probed.

By the end of the 1970s, crystalline lasers were widely used in science, engineering, medicine, and technology. The types of lasers used have continued to grow in number to include newly discovered crystalline hosts, previously known compounds generating at other spectral wavelengths, and broadband tunable stimulated emission. This has led to the creation of an extremely promising new generation of crystalline lasers that are both highly efficient and more reliable. The major part of this book is devoted to describing multilevel operating laser schemes for stimulated emission excitation in insulating crystals doped with lanthanide ions.

The first part of Crystalline Lasers deals with the history of the physics and spectroscopy of insulating laser crystals. The chapters in the second part of the book present results from the study of Stark-energy levels of generating ions in laser crystals and their radiative and nonradiative intermanifold transition characteristics. This section includes extensive tabular data and reference information. Popular and novel operating schemes of crystalline lasers are covered in Part 3.

In the chapters in the fourth part of the book, the newest technologies in the physics and engineering of crystalline lasers are considered. The results of investigations into laser action under selective excitations, miniature crystalline lasers, and the properties of nonlinear activated laser crystals are presented and analyzed.
Crystalline Lasers summarizes and reviews the results of many years of research and studies of activator ions and multilevel operating laser schemes, and discusses exciting prospects of using these systems to create new types of crystalline lasers. This book will be of use to laser scientists and engineers, physicists, and chemical engineers.

X-Ray Lasers 1996 provides not only an overview and progress report on this fast moving field, but also important reference material on which future work can be built. Topics covered include collisional x-ray lasers, table-top x-ray lasers, beam optics, x-ray optics, OFI and photo-pumped schemes, capillary schemes, international laser facilities, XUV nonlinear mixing, alternative soft x-ray sources, diagnostics, and applications. The volume is an essential addition to the libraries of researchers in the field.

The search for table-top and repetitive pump schemes during the last decade has been the driving force behind the spectacular advances demonstrated during the 10th International Conference on X-Ray Lasers, organized in 2006 in Berlin. Since 1986, international experts have gathered every two years at this established conference to discuss the progress in theory, experiment and application of plasma-based soft X-ray lasers. Traditionally, the conference sessions devoted to complementary and alternative sources of short wavelength radiation, such as high harmonics, XFEL or incoherent X-rays are organized so as to emphasize the role of X-ray laser research in relation to the other short wavelength sources. Grazing incidence pumping (GRIP) and seeding with high harmonics were the dominant topics of the conference. High repetition rate and portable X-ray lasers were reported to have been applied in metrology and photochemistry for the first time.

This volume considers optical parametric generation and amplification (OPG/OPA), as a means for producing a tunable optical parametric device. It reviews the OPA/OPG systems using various crystals pumped by lasers at various frequencies with pulse duration ranging from picoseconds to femtoseconds. Part two covers the theoretical background for design of an OPA/OPG system, using two newly discovered nonlinear crystals. Experimental design considerations are discussed in section three, including the section of nonlinear crystals, pumping sources and optical configurations. In section four, the experimental results obtained are compared with the theoretical calculations.

This work provides a perspective on the creation of a scientific discipline. The reader is led to meet the actual people who have contributed to this field and know their trials as well as breakthroughs. From 1800 to 1930, Brand preserves the thread of scientific thought and activity through six generations of working scientists.

Laser-Based Optical Detection of Explosives offers a comprehensive review of past, present, and emerging laser-based methods for the detection of a variety of explosives. This book: Considers laser propagation safety and explains standard test material preparation for standoff optical-based detection system evaluation Explores explosives detection using deep ultraviolet native fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, reflectometry, and hyperspectral imaging Examines photodissociation followed by laser-induced fluorescence, photothermal methods, cavity-enhanced absorption spectrometry, and short-pulse laser-based techniques Describes the detection and recognition of explosives using terahertz-frequency spectroscopic techniques Each chapter is authored by a leading expert on the respective technology, and is structured to supply historical perspective, address current advantages and challenges, and discuss novel research and applications. Readers are left with an in-depth understanding and appreciation of each technology's capabilities and potential for standoff hazard detection.

The book introduces optical wave propagation in the irregular turbulent atmosphere and the relations to laser beam and LIDAR applications for both optical communication and imaging. It examines atmosphere fundamentals, structure, and content. It explains specific situations occurring in the irregular atmosphere and for specific natural phenomena that affect optical ray and laser beam propagation. It emphasizes how to use LIDAR to investigate atmospheric phenomena and predict primary parameters of the irregular turbulent atmosphere and suggests what kinds of optical devices to operate in different atmospheric situations to minimize the deleterious effects of natural atmospheric phenomena.