The revised edition of this important reference volume presents an expanded overview of the analytical and numerical approaches employed when exploring and developing modern laser materials processing techniques. The book shows how general principles can be used to obtain insight into laser processes, whether derived from fundamental physical theory or from direct observation of experimental results. The book gives readers an understanding of the strengths and limitations of simple numerical and analytical models that can then be used as the starting-point for more elaborate models of specific practical, theoretical or commercial value. Following an introduction to the mathematical formulation of some relevant classes of physical ideas, the core of the book consists of chapters addressing key applications in detail: cutting, keyhole welding, drilling, arc and hybrid laser-arc welding, hardening, cladding and forming. The second edition includes a new a chapter on glass cutting with lasers, as employed in the display industry. A further addition is a chapter on meta-modelling, whose purpose is to construct fast, simple and reliable models based on appropriate sources of information. It then makes it easy to explore data visually and is a convenient interactive tool for scientists to improve the quality of their models and for developers when designing their processes. As in the first edition, the book ends with an updated introduction to comprehensive numerical simulation. Although the book focuses on laser interactions with materials, many of the principles and methods explored can be applied to thermal modelling in a variety of different fields and at different power levels. It is aimed principally however at academic and industrial researchers and developers in the field of laser technology.

This thesis demonstrates and investigates novel dual-polarization interferometric fiber-optic gyroscope (IFOG) configurations, which utilize optical compensation between two orthogonal polarizations to suppress errors caused by polarization nonreciprocity. Further, it provides a scheme for dual-polarization two-port IFOGs and details their unique benefits. Dual-polarization IFOGs break through the restriction of the "minimal scheme," which conventional IFOGs are based on. These innovative new IFOGs have unique properties: They require no polarizer and have two ports available for signal detection. As such, they open new avenues for IFOGs to achieve lower costs and higher sensitivity.

This book highlights the most recent developments in quantum dot spin physics and the generation of deterministic superior non-classical light states with quantum dots. In particular, it addresses single quantum dot spin manipulation, spin-photon entanglement and the generation of single-photon and entangled photon pair states with nearly ideal properties. The role of semiconductor microcavities, nanophotonic interfaces as well as quantum photonic integrated circuits is emphasized. The latest theoretical and experimental studies of phonon-dressed light matter interaction, single-dot lasing and resonance fluorescence in QD cavity systems are also provided. The book is written by the leading experts in the field.

This volume contains selected and expanded contributions presented at the 3rd Symposium on Space Optical Instruments and Applications in Beijing, China June 28 - 29, 2016. This conference series is organised by the Sino-Holland Space Optical Instruments Laboratory, a cooperation platform between China and the Netherlands. The symposium focused on key technological problems of optical instruments and their applications in a space context. It covered the latest developments, experiments and results regarding theory, instrumentation and applications in space optics. The book is split across five topical sections. The first section covers space optical remote sensing system design, the second advanced optical system design, the third remote sensor calibration and measurement. Remote sensing data processing and information extraction is then presented, followed by a final section on remote sensing data applications.

This book showcases the state of the art in the field of sensors and microsystems, revealing the impressive potential of novel methodologies and technologies. It covers a broad range of aspects, including: bio-, physical and chemical sensors; actuators; micro- and nano-structured materials; mechanisms of interaction and signal transduction; polymers and biomaterials; sensor electronics and instrumentation; analytical microsystems, recognition systems and signal analysis; and sensor networks, as well as manufacturing technologies, environmental, food and biomedical applications. The book gathers a selection of papers presented at the 19th AISEM National Conference on Sensors and Microsystems. Held in Lecce, Italy in February 2017, the event brought together researchers, end users, technology teams and policy makers.

This textbook takes the reader on a tour of the most important landmarks of theoretical physics: classical, quantum, and statistical mechanics, relativity, electrodynamics, as well as the most modern and exciting of all: elementary particles and the physics of fractals. The second edition has been supplemented with a new chapter devoted to concise though complete presentation of dynamical systems, bifurcations and chaos theory. The treatment is confined to the essentials of each area, presenting all the central concepts and equations at an accessible level. Chapters 1 to 4 contain the standard material of courses in theoretical physics and are supposed to accompany lectures at the university; thus they are rather condensed. They are supposed to fill one year of teaching. Chapters 5 and 6, in contrast, are written less condensed since this material may not be part of standard lectures and thus could be studied without the help of a university teacher. An appendix on elementary particles lies somewhere in between: It could be a summary of a much more detailed course, or studied without such a course. Illustrations and numerous problems round off this unusual textbook. It will ideally accompany the students all along their course in theoretical physics and prove indispensable in preparing and revising the exams. It is also suited as a reference for teachers or scientists from other disciplines who are interested in the topic.

This volume provides expert coverage of the state-of-the-art in sol-gel materials for functional applications in energy, environment and electronics. The use of sol-gel technology has become a hotbed for cutting edge developments in many fields due to the accessibility of advanced materials through low energy processes. The book offers a broad view of this growing research area from basic science through high-level applications with the potential for commercialization and industrial use. Taking an integrated approach, expert chapters present a wide range of topics, from photocatalysts, solar cells and optics, to thin films and materials for energy storage and conversion, demonstrating the combined use of chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering in the search for solutions to some of the most challenging problems of our time.

This book illustrates original pathways to manipulate light at the nanoscale by means of surface electromagnetic waves (here, Bloch surface waves, BSWs) on planar dielectric multilayers, also known as one-dimensional photonic crystals. This approach is particularly valuable as it represents an effective alternative to the widely exploited surface plasmon paradigm. After a brief overview on the fundamentals of BSWs, several significant applications of BSW-sustaining structures are described. Particular consideration is given to the propagation, guiding, and diffraction of BSW-coupled radiation. Further, the interaction of organic emitters with BSWs on planar and corrugated multilayers is investigated, including fluorescence beaming in free space. To provide greater insight into sensing applications, an illustrative example of fluorescent microarray-based detection is presented. The book is intended for scientists and researchers working on photon management opportunities in fields such as biosensing, optical circuitry, and lighting.

This book presents the concept of functionally graded materials as well as their use and different fabrication processes. The authors describe the use of additive manufacturing technology for the production of very complex parts directly from the three dimension computer aided design of the part by adding material layer after layer. A case study is also presented in the book on the experimental analysis of functionally graded material using laser metal deposition process.

This book explores generalized Lorenz-Mie theories when the illuminating beam is an electromagnetic arbitrary shaped beam relying on the method of separation of variables. The new edition includes an additional chapter covering the latest advances in both research and applications, which are highly relevant for readers. Although it particularly focuses on the homogeneous sphere, the book also considers other regular particles. It discusses in detail the methods available for evaluating beam shape coefficients describing the illuminating beam. In addition it features applications used in many fields such as optical particle sizing and, more generally, optical particle characterization, morphology-dependent resonances and the mechanical effects of light for optical trapping, optical tweezers and optical stretchers. Furthermore, it provides various computer programs relevant to the content.

This thesis covers a broad range of interdisciplinary topics concerning electromagnetic-acoustic (EM-Acoustic) sensing and imaging, mainly addressing three aspects: fundamental physics, critical biomedical applications, and sensing/imaging system design. From the fundamental physics perspective, it introduces several highly interesting EM-Acoustic sensing and imaging methods, which can potentially provide higher sensitivity, multi-contrast capability, and better imaging performance with less distortion. From the biomedical applications perspective, the thesis introduces useful techniques specifically designed to address selected challenging biomedical applications, delivering rich contrast, higher sensitivity and finer spatial resolution. Both phantom and ex vivo experiments are presented, and in vivo validations are progressing towards real clinical application scenarios. From the sensing and imaging system design perspective, the book proposes several promising sensing/imaging prototypes. Further, it offers concrete suggestions that could bring these systems closer to becoming "real" products and commercialization, such as replacing costly lasers with portable laser diodes, or integrating transmitting and data recording on a single board.

This book reviews progress towards quantum simulators based on photonic and hybrid light-matter systems, covering theoretical proposals and recent experimental work. Quantum simulators are specially designed quantum computers. Their main aim is to simulate and understand complex and inaccessible quantum many-body phenomena found or predicted in condensed matter physics, materials science and exotic quantum field theories. Applications will include the engineering of smart materials, robust optical or electronic circuits, deciphering quantum chemistry and even the design of drugs. Technological developments in the fields of interfacing light and matter, especially in many-body quantum optics, have motivated recent proposals for quantum simulators based on strongly correlated photons and polaritons generated in hybrid light-matter systems. The latter have complementary strengths to cold atom and ion based simulators and they can probe for example out of equilibrium phenomena in a natural driven-dissipative setting. This book covers some of the most important works in this area reviewing the proposal for Mott transitions and Luttinger liquid physics with light, to simulating interacting relativistic theories, topological insulators and gauge field physics. The stage of the field now is at a point where on top of the numerous theory proposals; experiments are also reported. Connecting to the theory proposals presented in the chapters, the main experimental quantum technology platforms developed from groups worldwide to realize photonic and polaritonic simulators in the laboratory are also discussed. These include coupled microwave resonator arrays in superconducting circuits, semiconductor based polariton systems, and integrated quantum photonic chips. This is the first book dedicated to photonic approaches to quantum simulation, reviewing the fundamentals for the researcher new to the field, and providing a complete reference for the graduate student starting or already undergoing PhD studies in this area.

This book highlights the various topics in which luminescence and electrochemistry are intimately coupled. The topic of this book is clearly at the frontier between several scientific domains involving physics, chemistry and biology. Applications in these various fields naturally also need to be mentioned, especially concerning displays and advanced investigation techniques in analytical chemistry or for biomedical issues.

This textbook extends from the basics of femtosecond physics all the way to some of the latest developments in the field. In this updated edition, the chapter on laser-driven atoms is augmented by the discussion of two-electron atoms interacting with strong and short laser pulses, as well as by a review of ATI rings and low energy structures in photo-electron spectra. In the chapter on laser-driven molecules a discussion of 2D infrared spectroscopy is incorporated. Theoretical investigations of atoms and molecules interacting with pulsed lasers up to atomic field strengths on the order of 10^16 W/cm(2) are leading to an understanding of many challenging experimental discoveries. The presentation starts with a brief introduction to pulsed laser physics. The basis for the non-perturbative treatment of laser-matter interaction in the book is the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. Its analytical as well as numerical solution are laid out in some detail. The light field is treated classically and different possible gauges for the field-matter interaction are discussed. Physical phenomena, ranging from paradigmatic Rabi-oscillations in two-level systems to the ionization of atoms, the generation of high-order harmonics, the ionization and dissociation of molecules, as well as the control of chemical reactions are presented and discussed on a fundamental level. In this way, the theoretical background for state of the art experiments with strong and short laser pulses is given. The new text is augmented by several additional exercises and now contains a total of forty-eight problems, whose worked-out solutions are given in the last chapter. In addition, some detailed calculations are performed in the appendices. Furthermore, each chapter ends with references to more specialized literature.

This book is devoted to the fundamentals of classical electrodynamics, one of the most beautiful and productive theories in physics. A general survey on the applicability of physical theories shows that only few theories can be compared to electrodynamics. Essentially, all electric and electronic devices used around the world are based on the theory of electromagnetism. It was Maxwell who created, for the first time, a unified description of the electric and magnetic phenomena in his electromagnetic field theory. Remarkably, Maxwell's theory contained in itself also the relativistic invariance of the special relativity, a fact which was discovered only a few decades later. The present book is an outcome of the authors' teaching experience over many years in different countries and for different students studying diverse fields of physics. The book is intended for students at the level of undergraduate and graduate studies in physics, astronomy, engineering, applied mathematics and for researchers working in related subjects. We hope that the reader will not only acquire knowledge, but will also grasp the beauty of theoretical physics. A set of about 130 solved and proposed problems shall help to attain this aim.

This book presents the latest results of quantum properties of light in the nanostructured environment supporting surface plasmons, including waveguide quantum electrodynamics, quantum emitters, strong-coupling phenomena and lasing in plasmonic structures. Different approaches are described for controlling the emission and propagation of light with extreme light confinement and field enhancement provided by surface plasmons. Recent progress is reviewed in both experimental and theoretical investigations within quantum plasmonics, elucidating the fundamental physical phenomena involved and discussing the realization of quantum-controlled devices, including single-photon sources, transistors and ultra-compact circuitry at the nanoscale.

This thesis investigates the effect of the magnetic field on propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), or surface plasmons for short. Above all, it focuses on using the magnetic field as an external agent to modify the properties of the SPPs, and therefore achieving active devices. Surface plasmons are evanescent waves that arise at metal-dielectric interfaces. They can be strongly confined (beyond the light diffraction limit), and provide a strong enhancement of the electromagnetic field at the interface. These waves have led to the development of plasmonic circuitry, which is a key candidate as an alternative to electronic circuitry and traditional optical telecommunication devices, since it is faster than the former and less bulky than the latter. Adopting both a theoretical and an experimental point of view, the book analyzes the magnetic modulation in SPPs by means of an interferometer engraved in a multilayer combining Au and Co. In this interferometer, which acts like a modulator, the SPP magnetic modulation is studied in detail, as are the parameters that have a relevant impact on it, simple ways to enhance it, its spectral dependence, and the highly promising possibility of using this system for biosensing. The thesis ultimately arrives at the conclusion that this method can provide values of modulations similar to other active methods used in plasmonics.

This book tells you all you want to know about optical fibers: Their structure, their light-guiding mechanism, their material and manufacture, their use. It began with telephone, then came telefax and email. Today we use search engines, music downloads and internet videos, all of which require shuffling of bits and bytes by the zillions. The key to all this is the conduit: the line which is designed to carry massive amounts of data at breakneck speed. In their data carrying capacity optical fiber lines beat all other technologies (copper cable, microwave beacons, satellite links) hands down, at least in the long haul; wireless devices rely on fibers, too. Several effects tend to degrade the signal as it travels down the fiber: they are spelled out in detail. Nonlinear processes are given due consideration for a twofold reason: On the one hand they are fundamentally different from the more familiar processes in electrical cable. On the other hand, they form the basis of particularly interesting and innovative applications, provided they are understood well enough. A case in point is the use of so-called solitons, i.e. special pulses of light which have the wonderful property of being able to heal after perturbation. The book will take you from the physical basics of ray and beam optics, explain fiber structure and the functions of optical elements, and bring you to the forefront of both applications and research. The state of the art of high speed data transmission is described, and the use of fiber optic sensors in metrology is treated. The book is written in a pedagogical style so that students of both physics and electrical engineering, as well as technicians and engineers involved in optical technologies, will benefit. The new edition is largely updated and has new sections on nonlinear phenomena in fibers as well as on the latest trends in applications.

This thesis examines the unique properties of gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers for optical communication networks, introducing readers to their fundamentals, basic parameters and manifold applications. The static and dynamic properties of these amplifiers are discussed extensively in comparison to conventional, non quantum-dot based amplifiers, and their unique advantages are elaborated on, such as the fast carrier dynamics and the decoupling of gain and phase dynamics. In addition to diverse amplification scenarios involving single and multiple high symbol rate amplitude and phase-coded data signals, wide-range wavelength conversion as a key functionality for optical signal processing is investigated and discussed in detail. Furthermore, two novel device concepts are developed and demonstrated that have the potential to significantly simplify network architectures, reducing the investment and maintenance costs as well as the energy consumption of future networks.

This book describes important recent developments in fiber optic sensor technology and examines established and emerging applications in a broad range of fields and markets, including power engineering, chemical engineering, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, and environmental monitoring. Particular attention is devoted to niche applications where fiber optic sensors are or soon will be able to compete with conventional approaches. Beyond novel methods for the sensing of traditional parameters such as strain, temperature, and pressure, a variety of new ideas and concepts are proposed and explored. The significance of the advent of extended infrared sensors is discussed, and individual chapters focus on sensing at THz frequencies and optical sensing based on photonic crystal structures. Another important topic is the resonances generated when using thin films in conjunction with optical fibers, and the enormous potential of sensors based on lossy mode resonances, surface plasmon resonances, and long-range surface exciton polaritons. Detailed attention is also paid to fiber Bragg grating sensors and multimode interference sensors. Each chapter is written by an acknowledged expert in the subject under discussion.

In this book we analyze relaxation oscillations in models of lasers with nonlinear elements controlling light dynamics. The models are based on rate equations taking into account periodic modulation of parameters, optoelectronic delayed feedback, mutual coupling between lasers, intermodal interaction and other factors. With the aim to study relaxation oscillations we present the special asymptotic method of integration for ordinary differential equations and differential-difference equations. As a result, they are reduced to discrete maps. Analyzing the maps we describe analytically such nonlinear phenomena in lasers as multistability of large-amplitude relaxation cycles, bifurcations of cycles, controlled switching of regimes, phase synchronization in an ensemble of coupled systems and others. The book can be fruitful for students and technicians in nonlinear laser dynamics and in differential equations.

The thesis presents experimental and theoretical results about the surface dynamics and the surface Dirac fermion (DF) spectral function of the strong topological insulators Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3. The experimental results reveal the presence of a strong Kohn anomaly in the measured surface phonon dispersion of a low-lying optical mode, and the absence of surface Rayleigh acoustic phonons. Fitting the experimental data to theoretical models employing phonon Matsubara functions allowed the extraction of the matrix elements of the coupling Hamiltonian and the modifications to the surface phonon propagator that are encoded in the phonon self-energy. This allowed, for the first time, calculation of phonon mode-specific DF coupling (q) from experimental data, with average coupling significantly higher than typical values for metals, underscoring the strong coupling between optical surface phonons and surface DFs in topological insulators. Finally, to connect to experimental results obtained from photoemission spectroscopies, an electronic (DF) Matsubara function was constructed using the determined electron-phonon matrix elements and the optical phonon dispersion. This allowed calculation of the DF spectral function and density of states, allowing for comparison with photoemission and scanning tunneling spectroscopies. The results set the necessary energy resolution and extraction methodology for calculating from the DF perspective.

This book describes the fascinating recent advances made concerning the chaos, stability and instability of semiconductor lasers, and discusses their applications and future prospects in detail. It emphasizes the dynamics in semiconductor lasers by optical and electronic feedback, optical injection, and injection current modulation. Applications of semiconductor laser chaos, control and noise, and semiconductor lasers are also demonstrated. Semiconductor lasers with new structures, such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and broad-area semiconductor lasers, are intriguing and promising devices. Current topics include fast physical number generation using chaotic semiconductor lasers for secure communication, development of chaos, quantum-dot semiconductor lasers and quantum-cascade semiconductor lasers, and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. This fourth edition has been significantly expanded to reflect the latest developments. The fundamental theory of laser chaos and the chaotic dynamics in semiconductor lasers are discussed, but also for example the method of self-mixing interferometry in quantum-cascade lasers, which is indispensable in practical applications. Further, this edition covers chaos synchronization between two lasers and the application to secure optical communications. Another new topic is the consistency and synchronization property of many coupled semiconductor lasers in connection with the analogy of the dynamics between synaptic neurons and chaotic semiconductor lasers, which are compatible nonlinear dynamic elements. In particular, zero-lag synchronization between distant neurons plays a crucial role for information processing in the brain. Lastly, the book presents an application of the consistency and synchronization property in chaotic semiconductor lasers, namely a type of neuro-inspired information processing referred to as reservoir computing.

Particularly intense lightning discharges can produce transient luminous events above thunderclouds, termed sprites, elves and jets. These short lived optical emissions in the mesosphere can reach from the tops of thunderclouds up to the ionosphere; they provide direct evidence of coupling from the lower atmosphere to the upper atmosphere. Sprites are arguably the most dramatic recent discovery in solar-terrestrial physics. Shortly after the first ground based video recordings of sprites, observations on board the Space Shuttle detected sprites and elves occurring all around the world. These reports led to detailed sprite observations in North America, South America, Australia, Japan, and Europe. Subsequently, sprites were detected from other space platforms such as the International Space Station and the ROCSAT satellite. During the past 15 years, more than 200 contributions on sprites have been published in the scientific literature to document this rapidly evolving new research area.

This thesis sheds new light on the fascinating properties of composite quantum systems. Quantum systems of different sizes, ranging from small bipartite systems to large many-body ensembles, can be studied with the help of modern quantum optical experiments. These experiments make it possible to observe a broad variety of striking features, including nonclassical correlations, complex dynamics and quantum phase transitions. By adopting the complementary perspectives of quantum information theory, quantum chemistry and many-body theory, the thesis develops new methods for the efficient characterization and description of interacting, composite quantum systems.