This book is one result from the 1996 Millimeter-wave Summer School held at the Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica (INAOE), Tonantz- intla, Puebla, Mexico. In collaboration with the University of Massachusetts, INAOE has embarked upon the ambitious project of building the world's largest filled aperture millimeter-wave telescope - the Large Millimeter-wave Tele- scope (LMT), or Gran Telescopio Milimetrico (GTM). The LMT is currently the largest scientific project in Mexico. The summer school had a dual purpose; first, to introduce the Mexican as- tronomical and physics communities to millimeter wavelength astronomy, and second, to provide a forum for a review of several important aspects of the state of the art in observations, theory, interpretation, and technology relevant to this branch of astronomy. The summer school had 18 invited speakers and 44 par- ticipants. The scientific organizing committee (SOC) consisted of Luis Carrasco (UNAM/INAOE, Mexico), Paul Goldsmith (NAIC, Cornell Univ., USA), and Andy Harris (Univ. of Maryland, USA). Members of the local organizing com- mittee (LOC) were Alberto Carramiiiana (INAOE), Emmanuel Mendez Palma (INAOE), Mari Paz Miralles (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA), and William Wall (INAOE).

This book is one result from the 1996 Millimeter-wave Summer School held at the Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica (INAOE), Tonantz- intla, Puebla, Mexico. In collaboration with the University of Massachusetts, INAOE has embarked upon the ambitious project of building the world's largest filled aperture millimeter-wave telescope - the Large Millimeter-wave Tele- scope (LMT), or Gran Telescopio Milimetrico (GTM). The LMT is currently the largest scientific project in Mexico. The summer school had a dual purpose; first, to introduce the Mexican as- tronomical and physics communities to millimeter wavelength astronomy, and second, to provide a forum for a review of several important aspects of the state of the art in observations, theory, interpretation, and technology relevant to this branch of astronomy. The summer school had 18 invited speakers and 44 par- ticipants. The scientific organizing committee (SOC) consisted of Luis Carrasco (UNAM/INAOE, Mexico), Paul Goldsmith (NAIC, Cornell Univ., USA), and Andy Harris (Univ. of Maryland, USA). Members of the local organizing com- mittee (LOC) were Alberto Carramiiiana (INAOE), Emmanuel Mendez Palma (INAOE), Mari Paz Miralles (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA), and William Wall (INAOE).

Electrical Engineering Quasioptical Systems Gaussian Beam Quasioptical Propagation and Applications The increasing commercial use of millimeter wavelengths for remote sensing, communications, and radar systems has driven the need for new low-cost, high-performance systems, and with it, the need for quasioptical systems. Advantages of quasioptical propagation include broader bandwidth, lower insertion loss, better polarization purity, and higher power-handling capability. As this book illustrates, quasioptical system design using Gaussian beam propagation is relatively straightforward, yielding valuable insights without requiring extensive computations. Combining a general introduction to Gaussian beams and quasioptical propagation with practical applications, Quasioptical Systems provides a state-of-the-art treatment of the design of low-loss, broadband systems at microwave to submillimeter wavelengths. The approach presented involves utilizing a beam with a Gaussian distribution of field strength perpendicular to its axis, which in turn propagates in a simple, predictable fashion. Features include:

• A convenient summary of Gaussian beam propagation formulas
• Extensive coverage of present-day quasioptical components and their performance
• In-depth coverage of dielectric materials uses at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths
• An analysis of lenses and mirrors used as beam focusing elements
• An integrated approach to quasioptical system design