This book describes a number of simple methods for showing that light is polarised and determining the direction of vibration. It is based on a demonstration lecture, called 'Polar Explorations in Light' developed for young audiences, at the Royal Institution of Great Britain.

The first publication of its kind in the field, this book describes comprehensively and systematically radio-frequency (rf) capacitive gas discharges of intermediate and low pressure and their application to gas laser excitation and to plasma processing. Text presents the physics underlying rf discharges along with techniques for obtaining such discharges, experimental methods and results, and theoretical and numerical modeling findings. Radio-Frequency Capacitive Discharges is written by well-known specialists in the field, authors of many theoretical and experimental works. They provide simple and clear discussions of complicated physical phenomena. A complete review on the state of the art is included. This interesting new book can be used as a textbook for students and postgraduates and as a comprehensive guidebook by specialists.

This book provides researchers at the forefront of nonlinear optical technologies with robust procedures and software for the systematic investigation of the fundamental phenomena in nonlinear optical waveguide structures. A full vectorial electromagnetic formulation is adopted and the conditions under which simplification to a scalar formulation is possible are clearly indicated. The need to model the dielectric saturation properly is identified, and improved algorithms are presented for obtaining the complete power dispersion curve of structures exhibiting bistability. As the stability analysis of nonlinear modes is crucial to the development of nonlinear model methods, an effective procedure to investigate the propagation of the scalar nonlinear waves in 3D is another important feature of the book. All of the procedures described, as well as an automatic mesh generator for the finite element method, are incorporated into a software package which is included with this book.

Fiber sensing technologies have enabled both fundamental studies and a wide spectrum of applications in every aspect of life. This book highlights the recent advancement in fiber sensing technologies based on newly developed sensing mechanisms, advanced fiber structures, and functional materials. In particular, the integration of functional materials with different electrical, optical, thermal, or mechanical properties into a single fiber offers a wealth of new opportunities in sensing. The book covers the major developments in novel fiber materials, such as semiconductors, metals, polymers, soft glasses, and carbon materials, as well as the sensing applications based on both single fiber and multi-dimensional fiber arrays for temperature, light, strain, vibration, electric and magnetic fields, hazardous chemicals, gases, and physiological signals.

Tremendous technological developments and rapid progress in theory have opened a new area of modern physics called high-field electrodynamics: the systematic study of the interaction of relativistic electrons or positrons with ultrahigh-intensity, coherent electromagnetic radiation.

This advanced undergraduate/graduate-level text provides a detailed introduction to high-field electrodynamics, from its fundamentals to some of its important modern applications. The author describes a broad collection of theoretical techniques, and where possible, approaches derivations by at least two different routes to yield deeper physical insight and a wider range of mathematical and physical techniques. He also discusses some of the outstanding ramifications of electrodynamics in areas ranging from quantum optics, squeezed states, and the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox to rotating black holes, non-Abelian gauge field theories, and the Bohm-Aharanov effect.

High-Field Electrodynamics gives a comprehensive description of the theoretical tools needed to approach this novel discipline. It highlights important modern applications and serves as a starting point for more advanced and specialized research at the frontiers of modern physics.

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 book focuses on the fundamentals, technologies and properties of ion irradiation of dielectric materials (e.g. glasses, crystals) with regard to various photonic applications. It introduces readers to diverse ion-beam techniques for the fabrication and modification of micron- or nanoscale photonic structures, including optical waveguides, photonic crystals, and nanoparticle (nano-spheres and nano-rods) systems, and presents state-of-the-art advances in this multi-disciplinary research field, demonstrating the unique capabilities of ion-beam technologies in optical dielectric materials processing. The book discusses in detail the properties of ion-beam processed waveguides, as well as the modification of dielectrics for photonic applications, such as electro-optic modulation, nonlinear frequency conversion, waveguide amplification and lasing. It also explores synthesis and the correlated optical effects of nanoparticles by ion beams, and features examples of successful micro- and nano-photonic devices. Given its breadth of coverage, the book will particularly appeal to readers interested in ion-beam technology, materials science, and integrated optics.

Completely revised and updated, you will benefit from new and rewritten sections on: axial magnification Jackson Cross Cylinder tests retinoscopy reflex motions field of view the optics of indirect ophthalmoscopy optical aberrations diffractive lenses the Doppler shift lasers and the similarities and differences of Gaussian laser beams versus the propagation of light from a point source plus, a new appendix on angles and basic trigonometry. Although not a matrix optics text, matrices are used extensively in the chapters on spherical systems and off-axis aspects of astigmatism. In particular, the matrix treatment of astigmatism serves as a foundation for the recently developed, much improved statistical techniques that deal with refractive corrections and astigmatism in all its aspects. * Emphasizes conceptual understanding and development of optical intuition * Uses the vergence-dioptric power-wavefront approach * Helpful review for optometry boards and qualifying examinations

This text summarizes the invited papers presented at the International Symposium on New Trends in Optical Soliton Transmission Systems held in Kyoto, Japan in the fall of 1997. The symposium is the second of the series and is considered to be the most representative symposium on the use of optical solitons for ultrafast communications. In particular, this symposium focuses on the newly developed technologies of dispersion management to improve soliton transmission capabilities. Studies of properties of new solitons that appear in fibres with periodic variation of dispersion are also presented.

The combination of laser and optoelectronics with optical fiber technology can enhance the seamless activities of fiber-optic communications and fiber-sensor arena. This book discusses foundations of laser technology, non-linear optics, laser and fiber-optic applications in telecommunication and sensing fields including fundamentals and recent developments in photonics technology. Accumulated chapters cover constituent materials, techniques of measurement of non-linear optical properties of nanomaterials, photonic crystals and pertinent applications in medical, high voltage engineering and, in optical computations and designing logic gates.

Organic Nonlinear Optical Materials provides an extensive description of the preparation and characterization of organic materials for applications in nonlinear and electro-optics. The book discusses the fundamental optimization and practical limitations of a number of figures of merit for various optical parameters and gives a clinical appraisal of the potential of organic materials for applicators in optical technology. Among the topics addressed are the basic molecular design of;nonlinear optical chromophores, fundamentals and novel techniques of organic crystal growth, preparation and characterization of Langmuir-Blodgett and polymer films, experimental methods for determining microscopic and macroscopic optical properties. Also included is a discussion of first results of the photorefractive effect in organic crystals and the potential of organics for photorefractive applications, as well as an extensive review of published linear and nonlinear optical measurement of organic materials.

This book discusses quantum optics and investigates the quantum properties of interactions between atoms and laser fields. It is divided into three parts. Part I introduces the elementary theory of the interaction between atoms and light. Part II provides a concentrated discussion on the quantum properties of light fields. Part III deals with the quantum dynamic properties of the atoms interacting with laser fields. This book can be used as a text for both graduate and undergraduate students; it will also benefit scientists who are interested in quantum optics and theoretical physics.

Choice Recommended Title, March 2020 Optical microscopy is used in a vast range of applications ranging from materials engineering to in vivo observations and clinical diagnosis, and thanks to the latest advances in technology, there has been a rapid growth in the number of methods available. This book is aimed at providing users with a practical guide to help them select, and then use, the most suitable method for their application. It explores the principles behind the different forms of optical microscopy, without the use of complex maths, to provide an understanding to help the reader utilise a specific method and then interpret the results. Detailed physics is provided in boxed sections, which can be bypassed by the non-specialist. It is an invaluable tool for use within research groups and laboratories in the life and physical sciences, acting as a first source for practical information to guide less experienced users (or those new to a particular methodology) on the range of techniques available. Features: The first book to cover all current optical microscopy methods for practical applications Written to be understood by a non-optical expert with inserts to provide the physical science background Brings together conventional widefield and confocal microscopy, with advanced non-linear and super resolution methods, in one book To learn more about the author please visit here.

Contents:
1. Introduction 2. Fabrication Techniques and Applications 3. The Method of Manufacturing Microlenses by Melting Photoresist 4. Improvements to the Performance of Microlens Arrays 5. Measurement of Microlenses 6. Interferometers to Measure Microlenses 7. Optical Performance of Individual Microlenses 8. Summary 9. References

Entanglement and (de-)coherence arguably define the central issues of concern in present day quantum information theory. Entanglement being a consequence of the quantum mechanical superposition principle for composite systems, a better understanding of the environment-induced destruction of coherent superposition states is required to devise novel strategies for harvesting quantum interference phenomena.

The present book collects a series of advanced lectures on the theoretical foundations of this active research field, from mathematical aspects underlying quantum topology to mesoscopic transport theory.

All lectures start out from an elementary level and proceed along a steep learning curve. This makes the material particularly suitable for student seminars on the more fundamental theoretical aspects of quantum information, and equally useful as supplementary reading for advanced lectures on this topic.

Continuing miniaturization of electronic devices, together with the quickly growing number of nanotechnological applications, demands a profound understanding of the underlying physics. Most of the fundamental problems of modern condensed matter physics involve various aspects of quantum transport and fluctuation phenomena at the nanoscale. In nanostructures, electrons are usually confined to a limited volume and interact with each other and lattice ions, simultaneously suffering multiple scattering events on impurities, barriers, surface imperfections, and other defects. Electron interaction with other degrees of freedom generally yields two major consequences, quantum dissipation and quantum decoherence. In other words, electrons can lose their energy and ability for quantum interference even at very low temperatures. These two different, but related, processes are at the heart of all quantum phenomena discussed in this book. This book presents copious details to facilitate the understanding of the basic physics behind a result and the learning to technically reproduce the result without delving into extra literature. The book subtly balances the description of theoretical methods and techniques and the display of the rich landscape of the physical phenomena that can be accessed by these methods. It is useful for a broad readership ranging from master's and PhD students to postdocs and senior researchers.

As demonstrated by five Nobel Prizes in physics, radio astronomy has contributed greatly to our understanding of the Universe. Yet for too long, there has been no comprehensive textbook on radio astronomy for undergraduate students. This two-volume set of introductory textbooks is exclusively devoted to radio astronomy, with extensive discussions of telescopes, observation methods, and astrophysical processes that are relevant for this exciting field. The first volume, Fundamentals of Radio Astronomy: Observational Methods, discusses radio astronomy instrumentation and the techniques to conduct successful observations. The second volume, Fundamentals of Radio Astronomy: Astrophysics, discusses the physical processes that give rise to radio emission, presents examples of astronomical objects that emit by these mechanisms, and illustrates how the relevant physical parameters of astronomical sources can be obtained from the radio observations. Requiring no prior knowledge of astronomy, the two volumes are ideal textbooks for radio astronomy courses at the undergraduate or graduate level, particularly those that emphasize radio wavelength instrumentation and observational techniques or the astrophysics of radio sources. The set enables instructors to pick and choose topics from the two volumes that best fit their courses. Features: Explores radio astronomy instruments and techniques that are important to enable observations Describes astrophysical processes that produce the radio emissions observed in different types of astronomical objects Includes numerous worked examples to demonstrate how the methods are used to solve problems, in addition to advanced material for students with more extensive physics and mathematics backgrounds

The "blue laser" is and exciting new device used in physics. The potential is now being recognised for its development into a commercial lighting system using about a tenth of the power and with a thousand times the operating lifetime of a comparable conventional system. This comprehensive work introduces the subject at a level suitable for graduate students. It covers the basics physics of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) based on gallium nitride and related nitride semiconductors, and gives an outline of their structural, transport and optical properties, and the relevant device physics. It begins with the fundamentals, and covers both theory and experiment, as well as an examination of actual and potential device applications. Shuji Nakamura and Nichia Chemicals Industries made the initial breakthroughs in the field, and these have revealed that LEDs and LDs are a sophisticated physical phenomenon and a commercial reality.

"Ode to a Quantum Physicist" celebrates the scientific achievements of Marlan O. Scully on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday. It combines personal reminiscences from other renowned physicists who have known and worked with him over the years and 60+ scientific articles from the frontiers of Quantum Optics inspired by the work of M. O. Scully. The topics of these articles, published in the special volume 179 of "Optics Communications," range from classical optics via atomic physics and quantum mechanics to non-linear optics.

The book opens with special greetings from Tony Siegman, the former president of the Optical Society of America and Benjamin Bederson, the Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of "Physical Review." A long time friend, Ali Javan, dating back to Marlan's MIT days, highlights some of Marlan's scientific contributions.
Heidi Fearn's poems humanize physical phenomena and set the stage for the more personal reminiscences to come.

Friends and colleagues of Marlan from the various stages of his scientific life shed some light on his human side. These stories reflect the admiration and respect the quantum physics community holds for Marlan and bring out many humorous anecdotes of their interactions with him. Judy Scully, his wife, takes us through Marlan's youth and college years in Wyoming. Leon Cohen illuminates the Yale days and Marlan's interactions with Willis E. Lamb. Pierre Meystre describes his arrival in Tucson from
Switzerland for his first postdoctoral position with Marlan. The move from Tucson to Albuquerque is one of Suhail Zubairy's memories. Herbert Walther shines light on the impact of the multi-national Marlan and in particular, on the Max-Planck-Institut fu Quantenoptik. Wolfgang Schleich looks at his mentor
Marlan from a graduate student's point of view and opens the arena for Reesor Woodling's description of Marlan's cattle business. We conclude the trail by the article of Thomas Walther, Ed Fry and George Welsch, who bring us up to date with Marlan's activities in Texas A & M.

The actual birthday party and scientific celebration took place as a special two-day colloquium on "Modern Trends in Quantum Optics" at the Max-Planck-Institut fur Quantenoptic in Garching, Germany on June 29-30, 1999. Included in this book is the program of this meeting, as wel as some excerpts from the celebration, such as, the after dinner speech by Roy J. Glauber followed by a photo album of Marlan's life. The poems by Olga Kocharovskaya poetically describe Marlan's scientific achievements. The concluding talk by Bruce Shore, given at this meeting, begins the connection to the papers by Don Kobe, Danny Greenberger and Mark Hillary, and Shi-Yao Zhu et al. covering topics from gauge invariance via unbreakable codes to photonic band gaps. The articles from the special issue of "Optics Communications" conclude this Festschrift.

Explores the Fundamental Aspects of Nonlinear Optics As nonlinear optics further develops as a field of research in electromagnetic wave propagation, its state-of-the-art technologies will continue to strongly impact real-world applications in a variety of fields useful to the practicing scientist and engineer. From basic principles to examples of applications, Nonlinear Optics: Principles and Applications effectively bridges physics and mathematics with relevant applied material for real-world use. The book progresses naturally from fundamental aspects to illustrative examples, and presents a strong theoretical foundation that equips the reader with enough knowledge to recognize, understand, and evaluate nonlinear optical phenomena. Structured so that the first five chapters are dedicated to the description of the fundamental formalism of nonlinear optics, and the last five chapters are devoted to a description of practical devices based on nonlinear phenomena, it describes nonlinear wave propagation in bulk and in waveguiding structures, and includes specific examples of applied nonlinear wave propagation through crystals, optical waveguides, and optical fibers. Providing a theoretical description of nonlinear interaction between light and matter, this text focuses on the physical understanding of nonlinear optics, and explores optical material response functions in the time and frequency domain. This pivotal work contains ten chapters and the main applications include: Optical signal processing: parametric amplification, modulators Transmission of optical signals: optical solitons, cross-phase modulation, four-wave mixing, phase conjugation, Raman scattering Sensing: temperature sensors, spectroscopy, and imaging Lasers: pulse compression and generation of super continuum Nonlinear Optics: Principles and Applications describes the fundamental aspects of nonlinear optics and serves as a reference for nonlinear optics professionals as well as graduate students specializing in nonlinear optics.

Optical techniques have a huge range of potential applications in signal processing and in the interconnection of digital computing systems. This 1995 book provides a detailed review of the key issues which must be addressed in the design, evaluation and implementation of practical systems for signal processing and optical interconnection. Considerations such as the computer modelling of optical design limitations, the size and noise characteristics of optical modulators, and the relative merits of free-space and guided-wave optical technology in different processing systems, are all discussed in detail. The book will be of great interest to optical researchers and designers, and to anyone wishing to learn about the basic techniques of optical processing.

This book describes algorithms and hardware implementations of computer holography, especially in terms of fast calculation. It summarizes the basics of holography and computer holography and describes how conventional diffraction calculations play a central role. Numerical implementations by actual codes will also be discussed. This book will explain new fast diffraction calculations, such as scaled scalar diffraction. Computer Holography will also explain acceleration algorithms for computer-generated hologram (CGH) generation and digital holography with 3D objects composed of point clouds, using look-up table- (LUT) based algorithms, and a wave front recording plane. 3D objects composed of polygons using tilted plane diffraction, expressed by multi-view images and RGB-D images, will be explained in this book. Digital holography, including inline, off-axis, Gabor digital holography, and phase shift digital holography, will also be explored. This book introduces applications of computer holography, including phase retrieval algorithm, holographic memory, holographic projection, and deep learning in computer holography, while explaining hardware implementations for computer holography. Recently, several parallel processors have been released (for example, multi-core CPU, GPU, Xeon Phi, and FPGA). Readers will learn how to apply algorithms to these processors. Features Provides an introduction of the basics of holography and computer holography Summarizes the latest advancements in computer-generated holograms Showcases the latest researchers of digital holography Discusses fast CGH algorithms and diffraction calculations, and their actual codes Includes hardware implementation for computer holography, and its actual codes and quasi-codes

This book covers a wide range of measurement techniques broadly referred to as Optical Metrology, with emphasis on their applications to nondestructive testing. If we look separately at each of the two terms making the generic name Optical Metrology, we find a link to two of the most distinctive aspects of humans: a particularly well developed sense of vision and a desire to classify things using numbers and rules.
Of all our five senses, vision is certainly the most developed and the closest to the rational part of our brain. It can be argued that our memory is strongly dependent on images and the brain is particularly good at processing the stimuli received from these images to extract information. Measuring, sizing and counting are, on the other hand, among the fundamental building blocks of modern society. The use of abstract quantities like size, value or intensity has simplified the description of complex enquiry and is the basis of modern science and economy. Hence, it would seem natural that the combination of two such basic aspects should result in the birth of a new field of science. However, it is known that his has not been the case. Optical Metrology remains classified as a group of special techniques used mainly in niche applications. Optical Metrology may be rightly described as an ensemble of techniques in which fields such as physics, electrical and mechanical engineering, and computer science merge and blend in new ways.
This book is intended as a tribute to the career of Professor Leopold Pflug. By looking back at his lifelong commitment to the application of optical metrology to the service of engineering sciences, more particularly devoted to the observation of the real behavior of structural components, one can retrace the major revolutions that have taken place in this domain. Starting his activity in 1971 as the head of the Laboratory for Stress Analysis at the EPFL in Switzerland, he first employed photoelasticity as a tool to improve the understanding of the real behavior of complex structures. However he soon recognized the necessity of working with the real materials used to build these structures instead of on replicas made of optically birefringent materials. He then focussed on the use of moire techniques which sparked his fascination with laser-based holography and speckle-based methods. The advent of information technology led him to open up to the use of ESPI and digital image processing techniques. Finally, in the mid 1990s he became interested in the use of optical fibers as a tool for sensing deformations inside structures, not only on their surfaces as in the case of whole-field methods. It is interesting to note the parallel in the evolution of optical metrology vis a vis developments in other fields: the development of lasers led to holographic interferometry, the availability of frame-grabbers led to ESPI and the emergence of fiber optic communications opened the way to the development of fiber optic sensors. This puts in sharp perspective the strong dependence of optical metrology on the latest technology for its development. Also interesting to note is that all fields in optical metrology touched upon by Professor Pflug are still of great relevance, as shown by the contributions in this volume.
This book is, however, not intended as a commemoration, rather as an occasion to review the trends and undercurrents that are driving the field of optical metrology, with emphasis on nondestructive testing. All the authors were asked to summarize the recent achievements in their respective fields and to speculate about the future. As a result it has become apparent that it is difficult although not impossible to spot general trends in these disparate fields. Optical metrology has considerably benefited from some of the most important innovations of the recent past: lasers, computers and fiber optics communication, all of which found their direct inspiration from the developments in the world of electronics.
In recent years we have also witnessed a shift of power from states to corporations. This has created the need to produce quick results useful to industry. Optical nondestructive testing has certainly adapted to this evolution, and several contributions in this book show that the researchers in this field understand the importance of developing technology that can be used by the industry to solve specific problems. We should also not forget that optical nondestructive testing is essentially a "service technology" and should as such not only focus on serving its clients in the best possible way, but also should continually emphasize, extend and enhance its services to new users still unaware of its potential. Hopefully this book will help in spreading awareness of the potentials of optical metrology and in focusing on the challenges of the future.

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.