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"This engagingly written text provides a useful pedagogical
introduction to an extensive class of geometrical phenomena in the
optics of polarization and phase, including simple explanations of
much of the underlying mathematics." -Michael Berry, University of
Bristol, UK "The author covers a vast number of topics in great
detail, with a unifying mathematical treatment. It will be a useful
reference for both beginners and experts...." -Enrique Galvez,
Charles A. Dana Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Colgate
University "a firm and comprehensive grounding both for those
looking to acquaint themselves with the field and those of us that
need reminding of the things we thought we knew, but hitherto did
not understand: an essential point of reference." -Miles Padgett,
Kelvin Chair of Natural Philosophy and Vice Principal (Research),
University of Glasgow This book focuses on the various forms of
wavefield singularities, including optical vortices and
polarization singularities, as well as orbital angular momentum and
associated applications. It highlights how an understanding of
singular optics provides a completely different way to look at
light. Whereas traditional optics focuses on the shape and
structure of the non-zero portions of the wavefield, singular
optics describes a wave's properties from its null regions. The
contents cover the three main areas of the field: the study of
generic features of wavefields, determination of unusual properties
of vortices and wavefields that contain singularities, and
practical applications of vortices and other singularities.
"This engagingly written text provides a useful pedagogical
introduction to an extensive class of geometrical phenomena in the
optics of polarization and phase, including simple explanations of
much of the underlying mathematics." -Michael Berry, University of
Bristol, UK "The author covers a vast number of topics in great
detail, with a unifying mathematical treatment. It will be a useful
reference for both beginners and experts...." -Enrique Galvez,
Charles A. Dana Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Colgate
University "a firm and comprehensive grounding both for those
looking to acquaint themselves with the field and those of us that
need reminding of the things we thought we knew, but hitherto did
not understand: an essential point of reference." -Miles Padgett,
Kelvin Chair of Natural Philosophy and Vice Principal (Research),
University of Glasgow This book focuses on the various forms of
wavefield singularities, including optical vortices and
polarization singularities, as well as orbital angular momentum and
associated applications. It highlights how an understanding of
singular optics provides a completely different way to look at
light. Whereas traditional optics focuses on the shape and
structure of the non-zero portions of the wavefield, singular
optics describes a wave's properties from its null regions. The
contents cover the three main areas of the field: the study of
generic features of wavefields, determination of unusual properties
of vortices and wavefields that contain singularities, and
practical applications of vortices and other singularities.
How do cats land on their feet? Discover how this question stumped
brilliant minds and how its answer helped solve other seemingly
impossible puzzles The question of how falling cats land on their
feet has long intrigued humans. In this playful and eye-opening
history, physicist and cat parent Gregory Gbur explores how
attempts to understand the cat-righting reflex have provided
crucial insights into puzzles in mathematics, geophysics,
neuroscience, and human space exploration. The result is an
engaging tumble through physics, physiology, photography, and
robotics to uncover, through scientific debate, the secret of the
acrobatic performance known as cat-turning, the cat flip, and the
cat twist. Readers learn the solution but also discover that the
finer details still inspire heated arguments. As with other cat
behavior, the more we investigate, the more surprises we discover.
A lively exploration of how invisibility has gone from science
fiction to fact  Is it possible for something or someone to
be made invisible? This question, which has intrigued authors of
science fiction for over a century, has become a headline-grabbing
topic of scientific research. Â In this book, science writer
and optical physicist Gregory J. Gbur traces the science of
invisibility from its sci-fi origins in the nineteenth-century
writings of authors such as H. G. Wells and Fitz James O’Brien to
modern stealth technology, invisibility cloaks, and metamaterials.
He explores the history of invisibility and its science and
technology connections, including the discovery of the
electromagnetic spectrum, the development of the atomic model, and
quantum theory. He shows how invisibility has moved from fiction to
reality, and he questions the hidden paths that lie ahead for
researchers. Â This is not only the story of invisibility but
also the story of humankind’s understanding of the nature of
light itself, and of the many fascinating figures whose discoveries
advanced this knowledge.
The first textbook on mathematical methods focusing on techniques
for optical science and engineering, this text is ideal for upper
division undergraduate and graduate students in optical physics.
Containing detailed sections on the basic theory, the textbook
places strong emphasis on connecting the abstract mathematical
concepts to the optical systems to which they are applied. It
covers many topics which usually only appear in more specialized
books, such as Zernike polynomials, wavelet and fractional Fourier
transforms, vector spherical harmonics, the z-transform, and the
angular spectrum representation. Most chapters end by showing how
the techniques covered can be used to solve an optical problem.
Essay problems based on research publications and numerous
exercises help to further strengthen the connection between the
theory and its applications.
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