To save content items to your account,
please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies.
If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account.
Find out more about saving content to .
To save content items to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org
is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings
on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part
of your Kindle email address below.
Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations.
‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi.
‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Driven by advances in data science and machine learning, photonics has evolved rapidly in recent years and has transformed into a highly interdisciplinary field, connecting fundamental research with cutting-edge applications. Inspired by recent Nobel Prizes in Physics in 2021 and 2024, Conti highlights the interplay between photonics and spin glasses, a key concept for understanding the link between photon propagation and complex systems. Beginning with a study of black-body radiation, the book then revisits laser theory using techniques from non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. Through a step-by-step exploration of important photonic experiments, it bridges foundational concepts and advances in optical computing, with a focus on developing efficient hardware for classical and quantum artificial intelligence. This reveals the profound ties between complexity, photonics, and the future of AI technologies. The book will be a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students and more practised researchers.
The optical theory of light-scattering by nonspherical particles is fundamental to remote sensing of the atmosphere and ocean, as well as other areas of computational physics, medical scanning, and electromagnetics. At present, many training programs in light scattering are woefully lacking. This book fills the void in existing research on light-scattering research and training, particularly in the case of large scattering particles, and provides a solid foundation on which future research can be based, including suggestions for directions for further work in the field. With the elucidation of the theoretical basis for light scattering (particularly within the framework of the physical-geometric optics method) and the demonstration of practical applications, this book will be invaluable for training future scientists in the discipline of light scattering, as well as for researchers and professionals using remote sensing techniques to analyse the properties of the atmosphere and oceans, and in the area of biophotonics.
This accessible text, now in its second edition, explains the key principles of transmission lines using straightforward mathematics, extensive illustrations and practical worked examples. The early chapters use a lossless equivalent circuit to derive the basic theory, demonstrating how pulses and sine waves perform in simple transmission line circuits. Later chapters develop this model by demonstrating the derivation of circuit parameters, and the use of Maxwell's equations to extend this theory to major transmission lines. The second edition has been revised and expanded to emphasise the role of electromagnetic waves and photons in all transmission lines, providing valuable insight into the fundamental physics. New topics include sine waves in the time domain, multiple junctions, and attenuation in the presence of standing waves. Covering DC to optical frequencies, this book is an invaluable resource for students, researchers and professionals in electrical, microwave and optical engineering as well as applied physics.
Research in optics and photonics, in parallel with the rapid development of nanoscience, has driven advancements within many fields of contemporary science and technology, allowing nano-optics to flourish as a research field. This authoritative text provides a comprehensive and accessible account of this important topic, beginning with the theoretical foundations of light localization and the propagation and focusing of optical fields, before progressing to more advanced topics such as near-field optics, surface plasmons in noble metals, metamaterials, and quantum emitters. Now in its third edition, the book has been substantially restructured, expanded, and developed to include additional problem sets and important topics such as super-resolution microscopy, random media, and coupled-mode theory. It remains an essential resource for graduate students and researchers working in photonics, optoelectronics, and nano-optics.
This book presents the foundational physics underlying the generation of high intensity laser light and its interaction with matter. Comprehensive and rigorous, it describes how the strong electric and magnetic fields of a high intensity light pulse can shape the nonlinear dynamics of all forms of matter, from single electrons up to atomic clusters and plasmas. Key equations are derived from first principles and important results are clearly explained, providing readers with a firm understanding of the fundamental concepts that underlie modern strong field physics research. The text concludes with suggestions for further reading, along with an extensive reference list. Effective as both an educational resource and as a reference text, this book will be invaluable to graduates and researchers across the atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) and plasma physics communities.
The fourth edition of Pedrottis' Introduction to Optics is a comprehensive revision of a classic guide to the fascinating properties of light, now with new authors. Ideally suited for undergraduate optics courses in physics and electrical/electronic engineering departments, this edition adopts a distinctive phenomenological approach, bringing the underlying science to life through interactive simulations and beautifully revised figures. The modular structure and succinct style of previous editions has been maintained, while the content has been modernized, new topics have been added, and a greater consistency of terminology attained. For even more effective learning, a recurring theme of student engagement runs throughout the text, supported by a multifaceted pedagogical package that reinforces key concepts, develops a clear understanding of optical technologies and applications, and connects to students' experiences and observations from everyday life.
For the engineer or scientist using spectroscopic laser diagnostics to investigate gas-phase media or plasmas, this book is an excellent resource for gaining a deeper understanding of the physics of radiative transitions. While a background in quantum mechanics is beneficial, the book presents a comprehensive review of the relevant aspects, extensively covering atomic and molecular structure alongside radiative transitions. The author employs effective Hamiltonians and Hund's case (a) basis wavefunctions to develop the energy level structure of diatomic molecules. These techniques also form the basis for treating radiative transitions in diatomic molecules. Recent advancements in quantum chemistry, enabling readers to calculate absolute single-photon and Raman transition strengths, are also presented. Illustrated with detailed example calculations of molecular structure and transition rates, this self-contained reference for spectroscopic data analysis will appeal to professionals in mechanical, aerospace, and chemical engineering, and in applied physics and chemistry.
This established textbook provides an accessible but comprehensive introduction to the quantum nature of light and its interaction with matter. The field of quantum optics is covered with clarity and depth, from the underlying theoretical framework of field quantization, atom–field interactions, and quantum coherence theory, to important and modern applications at the forefront of current research such as quantum interferometry, squeezed light, quantum entanglement, cavity quantum electrodynamics, laser-cooled trapped ions, and quantum information processing. The text is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students and would be an ideal main text for a course on quantum optics. This long-awaited second edition builds upon the success of the first edition, including many new developments in the field, particularly in the area of quantum state engineering. Additional homework problems have been added, and content from the first edition has been updated and clarified throughout.
Discover how mid-infrared and terahertz photonics has been revolutionized in this comprehensive overview of state-of-the art quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Combining real-world examples with expert guidance, it provides a thorough treatment of practical applications, including high-power continuous-wave QCLs, frequency-comb devices, quantum-electronic transport and thermal transport modeling, and beam shaping in QCLs. With a focus on recent developments, such as frequency noise and frequency stabilization of QCLs, grating-outcoupled surface-emitting mid-infrared QCLs, coherent-power scaling of mid-IR and THz QCLs, metasurface-based surface-emitting THz QCLs, self-mixing in QCLs, and THz QCL sources based on difference-frequency generation, it also features detailed theoretical explanations of means for efficiency maximization, design criteria for high-power continuous-wave operation of QCLs, and QCL thermal modeling, enabling you to improve performance of current and future devices. Paving the way for new applications and further advancements, this is an invaluable resource for academics, researchers, and practitioners in electrical, opto-electronic, and photonic engineering.
This accessible and self-contained text presents the essential theoretical techniques developed to describe quantum processes, alongside a detailed review of the devices and experimental methods required in quantum measurement. Ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students seeking to extend their knowledge of the physics underlying quantum technologies, the book develops a thorough understanding of quantum measurement theory, quantum processes and the evolution of quantum states. A wide range of basic quantum systems are discussed, including atoms, ions, photons, and more complex macroscopic quantum devices such as opto-mechanical systems and superconducting circuits. Quantum phenomena are also covered in detail, from entanglement and quantum jumps, to quantum fluctuations in optical systems. Numerous problems at the end of each chapter problems enable the reader to consolidate key theoretical concepts and to develop their understanding of the most widely-used experimental techniques.
Optical materials with varying refractive indices are called graded-index (GRIN) media and they are widely used within many industries, including telecommunications and medical imaging. Another recent application is space division multiplexing, an enormously improved technique for optical data transmission. This book synthesises recent research developments in this growing field, presenting both the underlying physical principles behind optical propagation in GRIN media, and the most important engineering applications. The principles of wave optics are employed for solving Maxwell's equations inside a GRIN medium, ensuring that diffractive effects are fully included. The mathematical development builds gradually and a variety of exact and approximate techniques for solving practical problems are included, in addition to coverage of modern topics such as optical vortices, photonic spin-orbit coupling, photonic crystals, and metamaterials. This text will be useful for graduate students and researchers working in optics, photonics and optical communications.
An easy-to-understand course book, based on the authentic lectures and detailed research, conducted by the authors themselves, on information optics, holography and MATLAB. This book is the first to highlight the incoherent optical system, provide up-to-date, novel digital holography techniques, and demonstrate MATLAB codes to accomplish tasks such as optical image processing and pattern recognition. This title is a comprehensive introduction to the basics of Fourier optics as well as optical image processing and digital holography. A step-by-step guide which details the vast majority of the derivations, without omitting essential steps, to facilitate a clear mathematical understanding. This book also features exercises at the end of each chapter, providing hands-on experience and consolidating understanding. An ideal companion for graduates and researchers involved in engineering and applied physics, as well as interested in the growing field of information optics.
This modern text provides detailed coverage of the important physical processes underpinning semiconductor devices. Advanced analysis of the optical properties of semiconductors without the requirement of complex mathematical formalism allows clear physical interpretation of all obtained results. The book describes fundamental aspects of solid-state physics and the quantum mechanics of electron-photon interactions, in addition to discussing in detail the photonic properties of bulk and quantum well semiconductors. The final six chapters focus on the physical properties of several widely-used photonic devices, including distributed feedback lasers, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, quantum dot lasers, and quantum cascade lasers. This book is ideal for graduate students in physics and electrical engineering and a useful reference for optical scientists.
This textbook introduces the topic of special relativity, with a particular emphasis upon light-matter interaction and the production of light in plasma. The physics of special relativity is intuitively developed and related to the radiative processes of light. The book reviews the underlying theory of special relativity, before extending the discussion to applications frequently encountered by postgraduates and researchers in astrophysics, high power laser interactions and the users of specialized light sources, such as synchrotrons and free electron lasers. A highly pedagogical approach is adopted throughout, and numerous exercises are included within each chapter to reinforce the presentation of key concepts and applications of the material.
This book presents a comprehensive account of molecular quantum electrodynamics from the perspectives of physics and theoretical chemistry. The first part of the book establishes the essential concepts underlying classical electrodynamics, using the tools of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. The second part focuses on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics, particularly how they relate to, and influence, chemical and molecular processes. The special case of the Coulomb Hamiltonian (including the celebrated Born-Oppenheimer approximation) is given a modern treatment. The final part of the book is devoted to non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics and describes in detail its impact upon our understanding of atoms and molecules, and their interaction with light. Particular attention is paid to the Power-Zienau-Woolley (PZW) representations, and both perturbative and non-perturbative approaches to QED calculation are discussed. This book is ideal for graduate students and researchers in chemical and molecular physics, quantum chemistry, and theoretical chemistry.
Lasers are created to study the timescale of electron motion in atoms and molecules. They also have wide applications in areas like solid state, plasma physics, nanoscience and defence technology. This book helps readers to master the large variety of physical phenomena and technological aspects involved in laser technology. Besides explaining the physical principles and common techniques of laser science and technology, it also elaborates on topics like High-harmonic Generation (HHG) and strong-field Non-sequential Double Ionization (NSDI), effects of a low energy atto-second pulse, laser spectroscopy, laser cooling and trapping, quantum optics and laser applications. Many important concepts covered include a new test system design of comprehensive characterization of non-imaging laser IR guided missiles, advanced laser and opto-electronics technologies for Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) applications and development of highly advanced laser cavity and resonator for high power chemical oxygen iodine laser at the Laser Science and Technology Centre (LASTEC).
This book offers a clear and interdisciplinary introduction to the structural and scattering properties of complex photonic media, focusing on deterministic aperiodic structures and their conceptual roots in geometry and number theory. It integrates important results and recent developments into a coherent and physically consistent story, balanced between mathematical designs, scattering and optical theories, and engineering device applications. The book includes discussions of emerging device applications in metamaterials and nano-optics technology. Both academia and industry will find the book of interest as it develops the underlying physical and mathematical background in partnership with engineering applications, providing a perspective on both fundamental optical sciences and photonic device technology. Emphasizing the comprehension of physical concepts and their engineering implications over the more formal developments, this is an essential introduction to the stimulating and fast-growing field of aperiodic optics and complex photonics.
Lidar is a remote sensing technique that employs laser beams to produce a high-resolution, four-dimensional probe, with important applications in atmospheric science. Suitable as a detailed reference or an advanced textbook for interdisciplinary courses, this book discusses the underlying principles of light-scattering theory and describes widely used lidar systems in current research, exploring how they can be employed effectively for atmospheric profiling. This self-contained text provides a solid grounding in the essential physics of light-matter interactions and the fundamentals of atmospheric lidars through a discussion of the principles that govern light-matter interactions and an exploration of both historical and recent scientific developments in lidar technology. This is an essential resource for physicists, optical engineers and other researchers in atmospheric science and remote sensing.
Suitable for both graduate and senior undergraduate students, this textbook offers a logical progression through the underlying principles and practical applications of nonlinear photonics. Building up from essential physics, general concepts, and fundamental mathematical formulations, it provides a robust introduction to nonlinear optical processes and phenomena, and their practical applications in real-world devices and systems. Over 45 worked problems illustrate key concepts and provide hands-on models for students, and over 160 end-of-chapter exercises supply students with plenty of scope to master the material. Accompanied by a complete solutions manual for instructors, including detailed explanations of each result, and drawing on the author's 35 years of teaching experience, this is the ideal introduction to nonlinear photonics for students in electrical engineering.
Learn about the properties of synchrotron radiation and its wide range of applications in physics, materials science and chemistry with this invaluable reference. This thorough text describes the physical principles of the subject, its source and methods of delivery to the sample, as well as the different techniques that use synchrotron radiation to analyse the electronic properties and structure of crystalline and non-crystalline materials and surfaces. Explains applications to study the structure and electronic properties of materials on a microscopic, nanoscopic and atomic scale. An excellent resource for current and future users of these facilities, showing how the available techniques can complement information obtained in users' home laboratories. Perfect for graduate and senior undergraduate students taking specialist courses in synchrotron radiation, in addition to new and established researchers in the field.