Focusing on the physical properties of diamond and sapphire, this monograph provides readers with essential details on crystal structure and growth, mechanical properties, thermal properties, optical properties, light scattering of diamond and sapphire crystals, and sapphire lasers. Various physical properties are comprehensively discussed: Mechanical properties include hardness, tensile strength, compressive strength, and Young's modulus. Thermal properties include thermal expansion, specific heat, and thermal conductivity. Optical properties of diamond and sapphire include transmission, refractive index, and absorption. Light scattering includes Raman scattering and Brillouin scattering. Sapphire lasers include chromium-doped and titanium-doped lasers. Aimed at researchers and industry professionals working in materials science, physics, electrical engineering, and related fields, this monograph is the first to concentrate solely on physical properties of these increasingly important materials.

Provides background for design and development of metamaterial structures using novel unit cells. Gives in-depth performance study of miniaturization of microstrip antennas. Discusses design and development of both transmission and reflection types metasurfaces and their practical applications. Verifies a variety of Metamaterial structures and Metasurfaces experimentally

Quantum information science is a new field of science and technology which requires the collaboration of researchers coming from different fields of physics, mathematics, and engineering: both theoretical and applied. Quantum Computing and Quantum Bits in Mesoscopic Systems addresses fundamental aspects of quantum physics, enhancing the connection between the quantum behavior of macroscopic systems and information theory. In addition to theoretical quantum physics, the book comprehensively explores practical implementation of quantum computing and information processing devices.
On the experimental side, this book reports on recent and previous observations of quantum behavior in several physical systems, coherently coupled Bose-Einstein condensates, quantum dots, superconducting quantum interference devices, Cooper pair boxes, and electron pumps in the context of the Josephson effect. In these systems, the book discusses all required steps, from fabrication through characterization to the final basic implementation for quantum computing.

The work described here investigates the advantages and limitations of using laser light for the deep in-vivo illumination and micromanipulation of the neuronal system in zebrafish. To do so, it combines and develops novel optical methods such as optogenetics, light sheet microscopy and optical micromanipulation. It also demonstrates, for the first time, that directional and focused laser beams can successfully be used to target large objects at considerable depth in a living organism to exert purely optical force - in this case on otoliths (ear stones) - and create fictive vestibular stimuli in a stationary animal. The behavioural study and simultaneous imaging of the whole brain reveal the location of the brain cells specific to each ear stone. Elucidating these fundamental neural processes holds substantial value for basic neuroscience researchers, who still have only a vague grasp of how brain circuits mediate perception. As such, it represents highly innovative research that has already led to high-impact publications and is now being intensively pursued.

This book analyzes novel possibilities offered to the telecommunication engineer in designing tomorrow's optical networks. Currently, optical and optoelectronic technologies make possible the realization of high-performance optical fiber communication systems and networks with the adoption of WDM configurations and both linear and nonlinear optical amplifications. The last step for increasing network throughput is represented by the implementation of multidimensional modulation formats in coherent optical communication systems, which enable increasing the bit rate/channel toward 400 Gbit/s/channel and beyond. Following this approach, the main emphasis is placed on innovative optical modulations. Multidimensional Modulations in Optical Communication Systems is an essential guide to the world of innovative optical communications from the point of view of growing capacity and security. It guides researchers and industries with the aim to exploring future applications for optical communications.

Provides an up-to-date literature in the field of visible light communication (VLC). Presents MATLAB Codes and simulations to help readers in understanding simulations. Discusses applications of VLC in enabling vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication. Covers topics including radio frequency (RF) based wireless communications and visible light communication (VLC). Presents modulation formats along with the derivations of probability of error expressions pertaining to different variants of optical OFDM.

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 book introduces the applications of laser in surface modification, such as laser cladding of Stellite alloys and metal-ceramic composites. Besides, nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes and Al2O3 nanoparticles are brought into the laser processing, to form high-temperature resistance, chemical stability, and wear- and oxidation-resistant composite coatings. The readers will get more knowledge about the basic principle and application of laser cladding and laser surface hardening technologies, and gain a deep insight into the process and characteristics of the nanomaterial-assisted laser surface enhancement. It provides references for the researchers, engineers, and students in the fields of mechanical engineering, laser processing, and material engineering.

Photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology holds great potential for breaking through the bottlenecks in current photonic and optoelectronic networks. Recently, a revolution has been witnessed in the field of lithium niobate (LN) photonics. Over the past decade, nanoscale LN waveguides with a propagation loss of ~0.01 dB and a radius of curvature on the level of ~100 m have been demonstrated. The revolution mainly benefits from two technological advancements, the maturity of lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI) technology and the innovation of nanofabrication approaches of high-quality LNOI photonic structures. Using low-loss waveguides and high-quality-factor (high-Q) microresonators produced on the LNOI platform as building blocks, various integrated photonic devices have been demonstrated with unprecedented performances. The breakthroughs have reshaped the landscape of the LN industry. This is the first monograph on LN nanophotonics enabled by the LNOI platform. It comprehensively reviews the development of fabrication technology, investigations on nonlinear optical processes, and demonstrations of electro-optical devices, as well as applications in quantum light sources, spectroscopy, sensing, and microwave-to-optical wave conversion. The book begins with an overview of the technological evolution of PICs, justifying the motivation for developing LNOI photonics. The next four chapters focus on LNOI photonics. The book concludes with a summary of the milestone achievements discussed in these chapters and provides a future perspective of this area of research.

This book explores novel methods for implementing X-ray diffraction technology as an imaging modality, which have been made possible through recent breakthroughs in detector technology, computational power, and data processing algorithms. The ability to perform fast, spatially-resolved X-ray diffraction throughout the volume of a sample opens up entirely new possibilities in areas such as material analysis, cancer diagnosis, and explosive detection, thus offering the potential to revolutionize the fields of medical, security, and industrial imaging and detection. Featuring chapters written by an international selection of authors from both academia and industry, the book provides a comprehensive discussion of the underlying physics, architectures, and applications of X-ray diffraction imaging that is accessible and relevant to neophytes and experts alike. Teaches novel methods for X-ray diffraction imaging Comprehensive and self-contained discussion of the relevant physics, imaging techniques, system components, and data processing algorithms Features state-of-the-art work of international authors from both academia and industry. Includes practical applications in the medical, industrial, and security sectors

In this book, the fundamentals of micro- and nanofabrication are described on the basis of the concept of "using gases as a fabrication tool." Unlike other books available on the subject, this volume assumes only entry-level mathematics, physics, and chemistry of undergraduates or high-school students in science and engineering courses. Necessary theories are plainly explained to help the reader learn about this new attractive field and enable further reading of specialized books. The book is an attractive guide for students, young engineers, and anyone getting involved in micro- and nanofabrication from various fields including physics, electronics, chemistry, and materials sciences.

Renewable energies have become an attractive option to overcome the energy demands in sustainable and affordable ways. It has been estimated that one-third of the total renewable energies would be generated from photovoltaics (PVs). A solar or PV cell is a device that directly converts sunlight into electricity by taking benefit of the photoelectric effect. In the third-generation solar PVs, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are believed to be the most promising and have attracted wide attention. The optimization of a DSSC is focused on four main components: (i) metal oxide semiconductor, (ii) photosensitizer, (iii) redox couple electrolyte, and (iv) counter electrode. Among these, the counter electrode undertakes three functions: (i) as a catalyst, (ii) as a positive electrode of primary cells, and (iii) as a mirror. To obey these functions, the electrode material should have high catalytic activity, high conductivity, high reflectivity, high surface area, and electrochemical and mechanical stability. To improve the performance of DSSCs, many scientists have developed new counter electrodes made of platinum, carbon materials, transition metals, conductive polymers, and composites. This book converses the various aspects of materials for the fabrication of counter electrodes especially for the DSSCs.

This volume focuses on fundamental aspects of nano-electro-optics. Starting with fiber probes and related devices for generating and detecting the optical near-field with high efficiency and resolution, the next chapter addresses the modulation of an electron beam by optical near-fields. Further topics include: fluorescence spectroscopy, in which sample molecules are excited by the evanescent surface plasmon field close to metallic surfaces; spatially resolved near-field photoluminescence spectroscopy of semiconductor quantum dots, which will become an essential issue in future electro-optical devices and systems; and, finally, the quantum theory of the optical near-field. This latter theory accounts for all the essential features of the interaction between optical near-fields and nanomaterials, atoms and molecules. Together these overviews will be a valuable resource for engineers and scientists working in the field of nano-electro-optics.

This biography is a personal portrait of one of the best-known Dutch physicists, Nicolaas Bloembergen. Born in 1920 in Dordrecht, Bloembergen studied physics in Utrecht, leaving after World War II for the United States, where he became an American citizen in 1958. At Harvard University, he pioneered nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR, used in chemistry and biology for structure identification; moreover leading to MRI), laser theory and nonlinear optics. In 1978 he was awarded the Lorentz Medal for his contribution to the theory of nonlinear optics (used in fiber optics), and in 1981 he received the Nobel Prize for physics, along with Arthur Schawlow and Kai Siegbahn. The book is based on numerous conversations with Nicolaas Bloembergen himself, his wife Deli Brink, his family, and colleagues in science. It describes his childhood and study in Bilthoven and Utrecht, the first postwar years at Harvard, the discoveries of masers and lasers, and the award of the Nobel Prize. It also delves into Bloembergen's involvement in American politics, particularly his role in Ronald Reagan's controversial Star Wars program.

With clear illustrations throughout and without recourse to quantum mechanics, the reader is invited to revisit unsolved problems lying at the foundations of theoretical physics. Maxwell and his contemporaries abandoned their search for a geometrical representation of the electric and magnetic fields. The wave-particle dilemma and Bose-Einstein statistical counting have resulted in unsatisfactory non-realistic interpretations. Furthermore, a simple structure of the hydrogen atom that includes hyperfine levels is still wanting. Working with the latest experimental data in photoionics a proposed solution to the wave-particle dilemma is suggested based on an array of circular-polarized rays. The Bose-Einstein counting procedure is recast in terms of distinguishable elements. Finally, a vortex model of a 'particle' is developed based on a trapped photon. This consists of a single ray revolving around a toroidal surface, and allows a geometrical definition of mass, electric potential, and magnetic momentum. With the adjustment of two parameters, values to 4 dp for the hyperfine frequencies (MHz) of hydrogen can be obtained for which a computer program is available.