Product Description
A complete basic undergraduate-level course in modern optics for students in physics, technology and engineering. The first half deals with classical physical optics; the second, the quantum nature of light. Many applications of the laser to optics are integrated throughout the text. Problems and answers. 170 illustrations.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A very nice book!
An applied mathematician by trade (with additional training in electrical engineering), I purchased this book to fill in background information on general optics in order to prepare me to read background material and scientific papers in nonlinear optics, a subject in which I am just beginning to undertake research.My familiarity with basic optics is limited to what I learned in 100-level physics many years ago--in other words, I know essentially nothing.The book really does deliver on the promise on the backcover that all that is needed is some "advanced mathematics (beyond calculus)" and "an intermediate course in electricity and magnetism."

I found this book incredibly nice to read, with concise explanations that contain the proper amount of detail for both veteran readers and complete newbies (such as myself). The author doesn't bog the reader down with equations and long derivations, but he explains clearly how one step leads to another, allowing the reader to quickly fill in the details of the derivations, a perfect compromise for all audiences: those new to the field can learn by doing, yet with the proper guidance to prevent the process from being too frustrating, and experienced readers needing a refresher can merely read the results.Figures are well-placed and especially helpful, and notation is clear and not needlessly complicating.

I highly recommend this book.Its value can't be denied; however, I'm certain that the book would compare favorably with other books costing several times more.

Decent and reasonably priced book
This is an excellent book on fundamentals of optics, and optical devices. It provides a very good reference even for those who are not novices in the field of optics. The book covers a great deal of knowledge for only 12 dollars. Even though the book does not include many solved examples, and it is missing many important topics in optics, I am glad I have purchased it, since it is very affordable.

Best in its class
This is an easy 5 star. For those who gave it less, please think again:
1) Title says: introduction. So don't imagine it covers every equation there is. Get Wolf's book if you like equations that much.
2) Short but concise on key subjects. To do that, you have to skip a lot of intro/background or equations, that's why there are references and citations (and better bricks/bug killers).
3) This is an intro book but also serves well as a refresher. This is intermediate level to advanced level for non-physicists, as it assumes good understanding of calculus.

To be fair, the book is not without flaws. One obvious is the name implied recent advances (although different people use modern optics differently), while the book was last revised in 1975. Nonetheless, the key component of modern optics are mostly there, unless you are into cutting edge advances. It might be more appropriate to name it as "intro to physical optics", then again the author added a section of ray optics at the end of the book...

More of an engineering than an academic viewpoint on optics
If you're studying optics in a college class using Hecht's classic text, or if you are an engineer who needs an overview of the subject, this is a good practical and economical introduction to the subject. However, be aware that this book is short on two components - details of derivations of mathematical formulas and illustrations. That is not to say they do not exist, it is just to say that at several points during the book I could have been aided in my comprehension by either an illustration or derivation that simply wasn't there.

There are end of chapter exercises included, and there are solutions to selected odd problems in the back of the book. However, there are no details as to how those solutions were arrived at. If you are an engineer, the only way to really be sure that you understand a subject is to solve problems. Thus I suggest Schaum's Outline of Optics by Hecht for that task. Often the solutions to problems in that outline are the mathematical details that are missing in this book!

The table of contents are not included in the product description, so I add that here:
Chapter 1 The Propagation of Light
1.1 Elementary Optical Phenomena and the Nature of Light
1.2 Electrical Consants and the Speed of Light
1.3 Plane Harmonic Waves. Phase Velocity
1.4 Alternative Ways of Representing Harmonic Waves
1.5 Group Velocity
1.6 The Doppler Effect
Chapter 2 The Vectorial Nature of Light
2.1 General Remarks
2.2 Energy Flow. The Poynting Vector
2.3 Linear Polarization
2.4 Circular and Elliptic Polarization
2.5 Matrix Representation of Polarization. The Jones Calculus
2.6 Reflection and Refraction at a Plane Boundary
2.7 Amplitudes of Reflected and Refracted Waves. Fresnel's Equations
2.8 The Brewster Angle
2.9 The Evanescent Wave in Total Reflection
2.10 Phase Changes in Total Internal Reflection
2.11 Reflection Matrix
Chapter 3 Coherence and Interference
3.1 The Principle of Linear Superposition
3.2 Young's Experiment
3.3 The Michelson Interferometer
3.4 Theory of Partial Coherence. Visibility of Fringes
3.5 Coherence Time and Coherence Length
3.6 Spectral Resolution of a Finite Wave Train. Coherence and Line Width
3.7 Spatial Coherence
3.8 Intensity Interferometry
3.9 Fourier Transform Spectroscopy
Chapter 4 Multiple-Beam Interference
4.1 Interference with Multiple Beams
4.2 The Fabry-Perot Interferometer
4.3 Resolution of Fabry-Perot Instruments
4.4 Theory of Multilayer Films
Chapter 5 Diffraction
5.1 General Description of Diffraction
5.2 Fundamental Theory
5.3 Fraunhofer and Fresnel Diffraction
5.4 Fraunhofer Diffraction Patterns
5.5 Fresnel Diffraction Patterns
5.6 Applications of the Fourier Transform to Diffraction
5.7 Reconstruction of the Wave Front by Diffraction. Holography
Chapter 6 Optics of Solids
6.1 General Remarks
6.2 Macroscopic Fields and Maxwell's Equations
6.3 The General Wave Equation
6.4 Propagation of Light in Isotropic Dielectrics. Dispersion
6.5 Propagation of Light in Conducting Media
6.6 Reflection and Refraction at the Boundary of an Absorbing Medium
6.7 Propagation of Light in Crystals
6.8 Double Refraction at a Boundary
6.9 Optical Activity
6.10 Faraday Rotation in Solids
6.11 Other Magneto-optic and Electro-optic Effects
6.12 Nonlinear Optics
Chapter 7 Thermal Radiation and Light Quanta
7.1 Thermal Radiation
7.2 Kirchoff's Law. Blackbody Radiation
7.3 Modes of Electromagnetic Radiation in a Cavity
7.4 Classical Theory of Blackbody Radiation. The Rayleigh-Jeans Fo
7.5 Quantization of Cavity Radiation
7.6 Photon Statistics. Planck's Formula
7.7 The Photoelectric Effect and the Detection of Individual Photons
7.8 Momentum of a Photon. Light Pressure
7.9 Angular Momentum of a Photon
7.10 Wavelength of a Material Particle. de Broglie's Hypothesis
7.11 Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle
Chapter 8 Optical Spectra
8.1 General Remarks
8.2 Elementary Theory of Atomic Spectra
8.3 Quantum Mechanics
8.4 The Schrödinger Equation
8.5 Quantum Mechanics of the Hydrogen Atom
8.6 Radiative Transitions and Selection Rules
8.7 Fine Structure of Specturm Lines. Electron Spin
8.8 Multiplicity in the Spectra of Many-Electron Atoms. Spectroscopic Notation
8.9 Molecular Spectra
8.10 Atomic-Energy Levels in Solids
Chapter 9 Amplification of Light. Lasers
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Stimulated Emission and Thermal Radiation
9.3 Amplification in a Medium
9.4 Methods of Producing a Population Inversion
9.5 Laser Oscillation
9.6 Optical-Resonaor Theory
9.7 Gas Lasers
9.8 Optically Pumped Solid-State Lasers
9.9 Dye Lasers
9.10 Semiconductor Diode Lasers
9.11 Q-Switching and Mode Locking
9.12 The Ring Laser
Chapter 10 Ray Optics
10.1 Reflection and Refraction at a Spherical Surface
10.2 Lenses
10.3 Ray Equations
10.4 Ray Matrices and Ray Vectors
10.5 Periodic Lens Waveguides and Opical Resonators
Appendix I Relativistic Optics
1.1 The Michelson-Morley Experiment
1.2 Einstein's Postulates of Special Relativity
1.3 Relativistic Effects in Optics
1.4 The Experiments of Sagnac and of Michelson and Gale to Detect Rotation
References
Answers to Selected Odd-Numbered Problems

A terrific little book to start with - and continue to use
This book is a little gem - and it costs next to nothing.

It's a beautifully concise and remarkably clear introduction to the main principles of modern optics - the ones that you are going to need over and over again as you continue into the subject.

This book gives you a great overview and set of basic foundations for every-day modern optics. I return to it often for little insights and reminders, even after 37 years in the business. ... Read more

Product Description
Accurate, authoritative and comprehensive, Optics, Fourth Edition has been revised to provide readers with the most up-to-date coverage of optics. The market leader for over a decade, this book provides a balance of theory and instrumentation, while also including the necessary classical background. The writing style is lively and accessible.For college instructors, students, or anyone interested in optics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

Snappy Title
It's a good book, get more, read them too. Spend some quality time in the lab.

I strongly disagree with the comments of everyone uses software now so you dont really need an in depth understanding of geometrical optics. Personally I can get closer to real world optical parameters using a pencil and paper than many engineers and optical manufacturers can using software ....on optical designs that are not off the shelf designs. I ain't no Einstein either. uggh...engineers nowadays. How can you be an engineer and not want to, or feel the need to, sit down and draw out your designs and prove them on paper??? That mass in your head is the best computer around.....Y'all spend way too much time learning software and modeling and not enough time using your brains and hands. Software is a tool, a tool in the kit you use to help understand and to help prove a design or too just simply crunch numbers. I have a lot of fun drawing out my designs, thinking about what I am doing and what parameters are needed and what materials to use...doing some number crunching...knowing what the software should be doing and how it's doing it....isn't that why we choose these professions? Brains and hands...not keyboards and software.

Overly Wordy.
It is a descent book, has a lot of problems to choose from which would be great for a professor.However, it is far to wordy in so much of the material. Not to mention, it lacks heavily on the mathematics, and does not have examples (unless very on the rare occasion).

Professors, I do not know the options out there, but this books is far to wordy and takes far to long to get to the point it needs to make.It makes it more difficult from a student's perspective to balance their time efficiently enough to contain all the information this book gives.It fairly often has weighted sentences that are not always directly appropriate for learning the material in one semester.

Great condition
The book was in the exact condition described.Very new in appearence and came in time

An okay book
I found this book alone not enough to actually learn the subject.In conjunction with good lectures, or with other resources, the subject could be adequately covered.

I strongly agree with the details of the review by Michael Danzinger.

Hecht's Optics
Let me be frank, I didn't like this book much at all. It was very bizarre mathematically and the overall structure seemed really weird. It jumped around in difficulty a lot and in my opinion needs a good editor to fix it up. Some sections are way too short while others are just way too long. Also there are absolutely no examples!!!! This is just annoying since it's good to see the derivation of a theory but a nice application of the equations would be great and not put in the problems at the end of the chapter.

I did enjoy some of his treatments various geometric optics and the topics of thick lenses was quite nice as well.

But as other reviewers have said, I haven't been able to find a better intro optics book out there that isn't at too high of a level. Thus this is probablythe best lower level undergrad book in optics available. However I would be very much willing to have someone prove me wrong.

EDIT: I should mention that the Schaum's outline he wrote does contain a lot of examples but it would have been nice to have them in the book! ... Read more

Product Description
Fourier analysis is a ubiquitous tool that has found application to diverse areas of physics and engineering. This book deals with its applications in optics, and in particular with its applications to diffraction, imaging, optical data processing, holography and optical communications. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Provides the necessary background for diffraction physics
I read this book thirty years ago in order to get up to speed on Fresnel diffraction and the Kirchhoff integral as discussed in John Cowley's seminal work "Diffraction Physics".Indeed, this book is recommended by Cowley as a necessary prerequisite.Goodman does a good job laying the groundwork for Fresnal diffraction, complete with a detailed exploration of the boundary conditions.After reading the first several chapters of this book, the reader should be ready to tackle Cowley.

The Bible for Ultrasound Beamforming
This is probably my favorite text book of all time.Dr. Goodman's writing is excellent, providing heuristic insight into complex concepts using a very readable style.He is the Richard Feynman of optics.

And other than chapters specific to polarization, this book is entirely applicable to phased array ultrasound.For anyone whos works or studies in the ultrasound field, this book is a must, especially if you have an interest in acoustic beamforming.All the wave and Fourier concepts that apply to light also apply to ultrasound.

Should be on every optiker's book shelf
I use this book all the time as a reference for Fourier optics.It has useful tables of common Fourier transforms found in optics work and far-field diffraction patterns worked out for popular beam profiles.

Amazing, a textbook that's easy to understand!
I took a class in Fourier Optics and found this text to be indispensable.It explains everything very clearly and concisely, which is a minor miracle for a text at this level.I didn't have any particular background in optics, and was able to pick this up and understand every word.

I do agree with the earlier poster that more 'physical' or graphical representations of concepts would have been useful as I tend to be a visual learner.

Simply the best
Only the best will do - and this is it.

Mandatory reading for anyone involved in optics.Goodman's books are treasure troves. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is an guide to the design and installation of outside plant fiber optic cabling networks. It was written as a reference book for instructors and students in classes aimed at FOA CFospT certification as well as a reference for anyone working in the field. This book offers expansive coverage on the components and processes of fiber optics as used in all outside plant applications and installation practices. Underground, buried, aerial and submarine/underwater installations are covered in detail as is specialized testing for extreme long distance networks. Fiber to the home is given special treatment in an appendix where these new generation networks are described in detail. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The FOA Guide
I'm using this book right now for the fall semester. So far the book is good teaching me the basics of fiber optics. At the end of each chapter there are quizzes. There is no answers at the back because the answers are there when you read it. The only thing I didn't know about is you can view this book online for free. It's pretty much the same thing and they added more stuff about fiber optics (the more detailed stuff and how it works).

Excellent Transaction
Fast shipping to Kingston, Jamaica. Product in new condition as describe. I'm going to order a couple more soon. ... Read more

Product Description

Comprehensive and fully updated, this reader-friendly introduction to optics provides clear, concise derivations and explanations of optical phenomena, avoiding extraneous material. Updates material related to laser systems. Updated chapters on Optical Interferometery, Fiber Optics, and Holography. Introduces a broad range of new applications throughout, including liquid crystal displays, CCD's, CD and DVD Technology. Features a more intensive exploration of communication systems than in previous editions. Provides approximately 50 new problems and 50 new or revised figures. A general reference for optical industry practitioners.

Customer Reviews (8)

Okay book about optics
I used this book in an optics course, and I'd say that it was an okay book, not really something special.

Pros:
-Many nice illustrations
-It describes many aspects of modern optics

Cons:
-At times really confusing, e.g. one equation contains two different variables, t, which describes both the transmission coefficient and the time. They could at least have added a subscript
-The book is rather wordy, which means one looses one concentration rather fast.

Book was useful then, and is still useful now...
I'd have to admit as an actual optics major, this book served my purposes very well. There really is no way way you can go through introductory optics in 1 semester, which is how all the physics departments do it - it doesn't do the subject justice.

My favorite chapters from the book are as follows:

-Theory Multilayer Thin Film
-Matrix Treatment of Polarization
-Production of Polarized Light
-The 3chapters dedicated to diffraction
-Fresnel Equations

These are all chapters that don't require Maxwell's Equations at all, even if you knew them.The optical properties of material chapters deals with Maxwell's Equations more or less for the entire chapter.

The laser and subsequent chapters also give you a VERY BASIC flavor of expect in more specialized books.

If I had to recommend a book for actually learning the material and that has worked out problems, this would be the one. Born and Wolf is great, but only as a reference, and still there are flaws in that book as well. Jenkins and White or Schaum's Outline for Optics might be useful supplements, as I used them from time to time. Hecht is not a good book to learn out of, but a good way to learn what optics is all about.

Please buy a different book
I took a course in Optics from the author and he used his own book.It was awful.I had to acquire several other optics books to actually learn the material.If you're looking for a good optics book, look elsewhere.Hecht and Zach or Klien is a much better option.

Good book but may be not as an intro for the novice
I have given recitations for a course when I was a TA. For my own reference it was very good concerning many matters, when one really needs the problems like reducing aberrations or like multilayer thin film optics or may be even non linear optics, this book is a very honest written book. But I do not know if it is a good idea to talk about aberrations for the people who do not have much idea about Gausssian geometrical optics for instance. Its level is not a graduate level, but, you know, for young people, they do not want to hear about the problems that they may face in life, untill they really do. I still have this book on my shelf, even after shifting to different topics. To me it is a compact and a real life book. Does not talk about myths, tells you the truth of life in optics. But of course Hecht s book is better may be as an introduction, gives a better overall map of the field. If you will have several optics book in your life this is one of them. But only if you work out the problems and think about the reason why they were asked. Every problem in this book is about a real life case in the optoelectronics laboratory and not about a fantasy.

Basic information presented in a lucid form...
The authors present optics at an intermediate level - not as detailed or complete as Born and Wolf, but it is a mathematical treatment and just slightly on a lower level than Klein and Furtak or Hecht. It is not just a survey. Certain parts of it are extremely good - for example, the chapter on Theory of Multilayer Films presents more useful data on antireflection coatings in a more concise, readable, well-illustrated format than any of the above books. It also presents common applications such as the Snellen eye chart used to measure visual acuity at your opthamologist in an "Optics of the Eye" chapter. Overall, a pretty decent first level optics book. ... Read more

Product Description
Nonlinear optics is the study of the interaction of intense laser light with matter. The third edition of this textbook has been rewritten to conform to the standard SI system of units and includes comprehensively updated material on the latest developments in the field.

The book introduces the entire field of optical physics and specifically the area of nonlinear optics.It focuses on the fundamental issues including the electromagnetic origin of optical phenomena, the quantum mechanical description of the optical properties of matter, the role of spatial symmetries in determining the optical response, causality and Kramers Kronig relations, and ultrafast and high intensity optical effects.The book also covers applied aspects of nonlinear optics such as harmonic generation, the operation of parametric oscillators, optical switching, photonics, materials issues in nonlinear optics, and processes such as laser damage that can restrict the use of nonlinear optics.

This edition contains new material on:
. Applications of harmonic generation including applications within the fields of microscopy and biophotonics
. Electromagnetically induced transparency
. Spectroscopy based on coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS)


Nonlinear Optics appeals to a wide audience of physics, optics, and electrical engineering students, as well as to working researchers and engineers. Those in related fields, such as materials science and chemistry, will also find this book of particular interest.

* Presents an introduction to the entire field of optical physics from the perspective of nonlinear optics.
* Combines first rate pedagogy with a treatment of fundamental aspects of nonlinear optics

* Covers all the latest topics and technology in this ever-evolving industry

* Strong emphasis on the fundamentals ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Best
Thank the author for using the SI unit, not the Gaussian unit, in the third edition!

fast delivery, excellent condition
The book I ordered was listed as "good" condition and when I got it, it was like brand new... excellent condition!Fast delivery too.

Get the 3rd edition
I have had this book for about a year. I use it often. People are also borrowing it. It is very well written and covers subjects well. It is very readable. I am very pleased with this book.

Intense
This book is a comprehensive work including all the regular nonlinear phenomena like SHG, SFG, DFG, FWM, Raman and Brillouin Scatterings, and so on. Quantum mechanical theory of nonlinear optical susceptibility is on chapter 3 whereas chapter 6 is about nonlinear optics in two-level approximations which contains sections on optical Bloch equations and Rabi oscillations.
Finally chapter 13 is on ultrafast nonlinear optics. We have to say that Professor Boyd has done a wonderful job on this book, since anyone from senior research scientists to first year graduate students all can refer to it.This book reminds me of Jackson's book on E &M in the sense that although you might notget `it'at that exactmoment you canalways count on it toshow the correct way to tackle. All in all, if you are looking for a book on nonlinear optics this is the one you should have.

Must have
If you are working in NLO, you simply have to have this book on your book-shelf.There's nothing to compare with it for the fundamentals, to gain a clear understanding of many different NLO processes. ... Read more

Product Description
This introduction to optics is intended as a supplement to a first course in undergraduate optics. This lively book conveys key modern terminology, and reinforces what it teaches with hundreds of fully worked out problems that run the gamut from candles to lasers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

I highly recommend it
It is helpful supplements to a standard text book with lots of solved problems, mainly if you have the authortext book with the same name. In some issues can serve as a text book. It has well done organization. In some topics elucidate some matterbecause provide numerics examples. I highly recommend it. More advanced textbooks will be easier to read after you finish this book. The price makes it definitely a good bargain!

Very helpful
This is a perfect supplement to the Optics book by Hecht. Taking a senior optics class at UTD and the schaums book had some really good key examples to help with HW, concepts in general.
Highly recommended

Optics
This schaum's outline is too old for this topic (same thing for Optics by Eugene Hecht ISBN: 0805385665).It is time for someone to write a new one even if physics has not changed!(I guess what you pay is what you get!)

Pro: good summary for something you know
con: not much detail like many old books from schaum's

Good book
This is a great book for somebody who wants to learn basics and get a feeling about optics. Helped me with the exam too.

Great supplement for exam prep
I used this book as a supplement for a course in Physical Optics, mainly to get practice in solving problems. I found the chapters on Polarization and Diffraction very useful. This book helped me get a better grade in this course. This book does not cover the topics like Jones and Coherence Matrix and Stokes vector. However these topics are covered well in the same author's Optics text. BTW, The Optics text is also very good. Solving problems in this book and then approaching the text gives a much better understanding of Optics. This book does not cover Poincare' sphere, which is also an important topic for which we cant find material anywhere except our Professor's lecture notes. Overall, this book is a must if you are taking any Optics course or the GRE physics text or if you just want to master the basics of Optics. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is an guide to the design and installation of outside plant fiber optic cabling networks. It was written as a reference book for instructors and students in classes aimed at FOA CFospT certification as well as a reference for anyone working in the field. This book offers expansive coverage on the components and processes of fiber optics as used in all outside plant applications and installation practices. Underground, buried, aerial and submarine/underwater installations are covered in detail as is specialized testing for extreme long distance networks. Fiber to the home is given special treatment in an appendix where these new generation networks are described in detail. ... Read more

Product Description
Principles of Optics is one of the classic science books of the twentieth century, and probably the most influential book in optics published in the past forty years. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated, with new material covering the CAT scan, interference with broad-band light and the so-called Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction theory. This edition also details scattering from inhomogeneous media and presents an account of the principles of diffraction tomography to which Emil Wolf has made a basic contribution. Several new appendices are also included. This new edition will be invaluable to advanced undergraduates, graduate students and researchers working in most areas of optics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Need modernising
Yes - all classical (linear) optical concepts are in here, and yes, it's the 'bible', but it's very dated in its content, style and references, generally, and not very practical to use.

I wish Hecht - or someone like him - would re-write this classic as a more advanced version of his book.

The Bible

Amazing book. It's the bible of geometric optics. Have everything you might need.

Needs a little previous knowledge, but which book doesn't?

A Classic in the Science of Optics
I read this book in the late sixties, when some of my fellow engineers built and tested an acoustic lens for a developmental company. Born & Wolf were well-acquainted with antenna aperture theory, and were among the first to write that the human eye could resolve 5X better than aperture theory would predict. This they credited to involuntary eye movements called flicks and saccades, which when combined with the brain's ability to do signal processing, was able to produce much better resolution than would have been predicted by the diameter of the retinal rods. In many ways the book gives testimony to God's wonderful gift of vision with color, depth, clarity, and order.

Good book
It is just a rare book on physical optics based on Maxwell equations. Rarely a book states the assumptions,the validity of the equations, the principles and how the equations arrived. Certainly, it is a great book for postgraduates and researchers in physical optics not so for undergraduate students who don't want to go through all the mathematics.

A Classic
This book is a classic with all problems associated. Half of the reference quoted have been written before the WWII. Very useful if you like to quote original papers. This book cover most topics of the classical optics but hardy cover modern topics.

However, it is hard to read and use a weird notation. Certainly not useful for rapid referencing. Like the bible, use it only when you have serious problem to deal with. ... Read more

Product Description
Most previous texts on quantum optics have been written primarily for the graduate student market at PhD level and above.Quantum optics: an introduction aims to introduce a wide range of topics at a lower level suitable for advanced undergraduate and masters level students in physics.The text is divided into four main parts, covering modern topics in both pure and applied quantum optics: I Introduction and background material.II. Photons.III. Atom-photon interactions. IV. Quantum information processing.The emphasis of the subject development is on intuitive physical understanding rather than mathematical arguments, although many derivations are included where appropriate.The text includes numerous illustrations, with a particular emphasis on the experimental observations of quantum optical phenomena.Each chapter includes worked examples, together with 10-15 exercises with solutions.Six appendices are included to supplement the main subject material. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

very good book for beginners in this field
unlike most books on "quantum optics" are too difficult to read, this is a very good book for beginners

An excellent undergraduate introduction
Fox does a great job explaining a complex and dense field from an intuitive and experimental standpoint. I read this book after one term of 1-D introductory Q.M. and everything made sense. The experiments and set-ups described throughout the book are a great tool and were particularly handy since I was using the book to get ready for a summer internship in a Quantum Optics group. The only downside is that the book is quite lacking from a theoretical standpoint. If you are a bit more comfortable with Q.M., say at the level of Shankar, Liboff, or Sakuri, try Knight instead. Nonetheless, this is a great book.

Good book
This is our textbook and is easy to understand. It also has answers for the exercise questions. That helps a lot.

A proper introducton
At last we have a text that provides a comprehensive introduction to quantum optics for the beginner - both theory and experiment - and one which takes you through many of the most recent concepts and potential applications in computation, cryptography and teleportation etc.

A feature of this text is the clear explanations and carefully explained jargon - it's NOT just mostly a collection of math like some other supposedly introductory texts.

If you want to find out what quantum optics is all about - this is a great book to start with.

Excellent Introduction to Quantum Optics
I developed an interest in quantum optics in my last year of undergraduate school but I became discouraged with it since every book that I picked up on the subject was esoteric and too involved for an introduction.It seemed as if NONE of the quantum optics textbooks available were appropriate as an introduction.But then I found this book.

Although not as mathematically intensive as I was hoping for it to be, it explains the physics very well.And although it doesn't compensate for many years of post-graduate study, I was able to better understand research papers in quantum optics due to this book.

The book follows a rather traditional approach to developing quantum optics...first starting off with a discussion of important results in electromagnetism, classical optics, and quantum mechanics...then progressing to the theory of photons (discussing photon statistics, coherent states, and second quantization (with regard to photon number states)).Furthermore, it discusses the essential "backbone" of quantum optics (light-matter interactions) and then applications of quantum optics (quantum computing, quantum entanglement, etc.).

I broke the rules and skipped ahead to the applications section and I must say that everything seems to make sense because of Fox's ability to convey difficult ideas in a simple, easy-to-understand manner.

For anybody just starting to take an interest in quantum optics (like I was at one point), I would strongly suggest this book.It's not as mathematically sophisticated as Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" (which is another must-have for quantum optics), but it's an excellent introduction. ... Read more

Product Description
The Fiber Optic Reference Guide offers readers a solid understanding of the principles of fiber optic technology, especially as it relates to telecommunications, from its early days to developing future trends. Using a minimum of jargon and a wealth of illustrations, this book provides the underlying principles of fiber optics as well as essential practical applications. The third edition is updated to include expanded sections on light emitters, semiconductor optical amplifiers, Bragg gratings, and more systems design considerations.

Fiber optics plays a key role in communications, as well as in broadcast and cable systems. Engineers working with fiber optics as well as newcomers to the industry will find the third edition of this reference guide invaluable. It will help the reader develop a solid understanding of the underlying principles of this rapidly changing technology as well as its essential practical applications.The text is thoroughly indexed and illustrated.



* An ideal primer for newcomers to the fiber optics industry as well as a useful reference guide for seasoned fiber optics veterans

* The only book on the subject to present practical applications

* Thoroughly updated and heavily illustrated ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Learn about Fiber Optics Fast!
This book is an excellent resource for getting up to speed on fiber optics quickly. It does a good job at explaining the basics of fiber cables, lasers, modulators, receivers. If you know nothing about fiber optics, you can read this in a weekend and get an overview of most of the field. This book doesn't go into the mathematics or physics much. If that is what you are looking for, then the book isn't what you want. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent overview of fiber optic technology
This is an excellent overview covering a wide range of fiber optic system-related topics. It is particularly useful for the working engineer, because it covers the basic information succinctly and without complex mathematical analyses. End-of-chapter references point the reader to sources of more detailed information. From the basics of optical waveguides, the operation of passive and active devices, and system design considerations - this guide provides an excellent 'first step' on the path to clear understanding.

Excellent introduction to Fiber Optics
The best Introduction to fiber optics I have seen so far. A must own for the fiber optic neophyte.

Best Overall Review of Fiber Optics
I purchased this book, "Introduction to Fiber Optics" by Crisp and "Understanding Fiber Optics" by Hecht to get up to speed on the technology.I work in finance, and am not an engineer.I found this book to be the most clear of the three, and by far the easiest to understand.This book had better diagrams and used better analogies to explain the technology than did the other two books.

The book was laid out logically, and did a good job of building on knowledge explained in previous chapters.There were one page summaries at the tale of each chapter, which were helpful in allowing you to either skip or skim the text. The glossary at the end of the book was especially useful, as was the end chapter on future trends within the industry.The book was a quick read, and once I had finished it I felt comfortable engaging in a discussion with people much more accomplished in the field than myself. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Best optics book ever
in preparation for OKAPS and Boards, this book is awesome. For those looking for more detailed book, check out optics for clinicians or some other textbook. For a review of optics a week before a major exam, you MUST have this book

A MUST READ !!!
it is not a standard text, not meant to be. but it is a very practical review with practical information and applications not found in many standard texts. the information is also pretty current and accurate, albeit paltry. definitely a good read the month before the exam, and the best review material for those finished with the exams. a nice fresh approach to a tedious task all in all. good one!

Great review for Ophthalmologists
Throw away the Academy of Ophthalmology's optics book.This concise text is all you need.If you read it carefully, do the problems and really learn what it teaches, you will score very well on the OKAPs and board exams.

Aimed at the exam taker
As a reference book, this little handbook falls short.

As alearning tool it is also lacking, with little detail or helpfuldiagrams.

However, as a study tool, this review should serve the student well if he/she had a real reference from which to learn.That is, in fact, what it markets itself to be -- a last minute study review -- so no false advertising here.

Kirk Carver, Patient Advocate,... ... Read more

Product Description
Covering a number of important subjects in quantum optics, this textbook is an excellent introduction for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, familiarizing readers with the basic concepts and formalism as well as the most recent advances. The first part of the textbook covers the semi-classical approach where matter is quantized, but light is not. It describes significant phenomena in quantum optics, including the principles of lasers. The second part is devoted to the full quantum description of light and its interaction with matter, covering topics such as spontaneous emission, and classical and non-classical states of light. An overview of photon entanglement and applications to quantum information is also given. In the third part, non-linear optics and laser cooling of atoms are presented, where using both approaches allows for a comprehensive description. Each chapter describes basic concepts in detail, and more specific concepts and phenomena are presented in 'complements'. ... Read more

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An enlightening guide to optics

Are you in the dark when it comes to understanding the science of optics? Now there's a glimmer in the gloom! Optics Demystified brings this challenging topic into focus.

Written in an easy-to-follow format, this practical guide begins by covering the nature of light, the electromagnetic spectrum, reflection, refraction, and color dispersion. You'll move on to common optical devices and effects, lasers, and optical data transmission technology. Industrial, medical, and military applications are discussed, as are exotic optics such as holography. Detailed examples and concise explanations make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce learning.

It's a no-brainer! You'll get:

• Explanations of the particle and wave theories
• Analysis of optical microscopes and telescopes
• Functional details of fiber optics
• A sampling of optical illusions
• A time-saving approach to performing better on an exam or at work

Simple enough for a beginner but challenging enough for an advanced student, Optics Demystified illuminates this vital physics topic.

Customer Reviews (1)

Optics from twenty thousand feet...
... in other words, this is a bird's eye view. This is the kind of book that you buy your high school student or freshman college student before they ever get into the physics. This book does discuss a little of the physics - and does so amazingly well considering the high level that the discussion is taking place. You get a more scientific view of the nature of light than you would from the old favorite Seeing the Light: Optics in Nature, Photography, Color, Vision, and Holography, which has more details but is more artistic in its viewpoint, in my opinion.

The book is not all prose, there are some elementary problems to solve, almost all of them involving using equations that have already been given to you in the chapter in question, but it does give you the very beginnings of an appreciation for the quantitative side of things. In summary, before you or your physicist-to-be son or daughter gets Hecht's Optics dumped on their desk and are up to their armpits in differential equations, Bessel functions, and Maxwell's equations, try this book first and appreciate "the what and why" of optics before you are immersed in the details of "the how". It's a quick easy read.

The table of contents is not included in the product description so I show that next:

Chapter 1 - The Nature of Light
Chapter 2 - Classical Optics
Chapter 3 - Common Optical Devices
Chapter 4 - Common Optical Effects
Chapter 5 - Laser Fundamentals
Chapter 6 - Optical Data Transmission
Chapter 7 - Optics in the Field
Chapter 8 - Exotic Optics (Holography, Spectrometry, Astronomy, etc.)
Chapter 9 - Optics to Heal and Defend (Optics in Medicine and Defense)
Chapter 10 - Optical Illusions

The book is capped by a 35 page multiple choice final exam that is a mix of calculations and facts. There are also exams at the end of each chapter. All answers to all quizzes and exams are in the back of the book. ... Read more

Product Description

Plan and implement fiber optic networks

Effectively design and deploy bandwidth-rich networks for major types of data traffic. Covering both short-reach and long-haul networks, Planning Fiber Optic Networks provides full details on all major fiber optic parameters and includes appropriate background theory and design calculations. You will find guidelines for optimizing SONET/SDH and Ethernet networks, setting up network topologies, minimizing signal loss and impairments, and using dark fiber. Real-world examples are included throughout this practical guide.

• Understand signal propagation in a single-mode fiber
• Plan an optical loss budget
• Maintain an acceptable optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR)
• Learn about the effects of chromatic dispersion (CD) and polarization mode dispersion (PMD)
• Expand fiber capacity using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)
• Reduce fiber nonlinear impairments
• Perform fiber characterization to ensure optimal quality and performance
• Test Ethernet and SONET/SDH networks
• Plan point-to-point and ring fiber topologies
• Lease or purchase dark fiber

Product Description
Introduction to Fiber Optics is well established as an introductory text for engineers, managers and students. It meets the needs of systems designers, installation engineers, electronic engineers and anyone else looking to gain a working knowledge of fiber optics with a minimum of maths. Review questions are included in the text to enable the reader to check their understanding as they work through the book.

The new edition of this successful book is now fully up to date with the new standards, latest technological developments and includes a new chapter on specifying optical components.

Whether you are looking for a complete self-study course in fiber optics, a concise reference text to dip into, or a readable introduction to this fast moving technology, this book has the solution.

* A practical, no-nonsense guide to fiber optics
* Up-to-date coverage that minimises mathematics
* New material on specifying optical components ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good starter book
I'm an engineer becoming familiar with fiberoptics.This book is very oriented towards the non-engineer.Much space is devoted to explanation of terms dB, and basic laws of physics.

The issue of multimode vs single mode is handled too cavalierly. The reader is left faced with an undesirable trait of fibers without sufficient explanation of the eigen values or transmission theory.This is good starter book only.

Good, not Great, Guide to Fiber Optics
I recently purchased this book, "Fiber Optic Reference Guide" by Goff and "Understanding Fiber Optics" by Hecht.I knew nothing about fiber optics and had to get up to speed in a very tight time frame.This was my second favorite of the three, as it did a very good job of providing a basic explanation of the technology behind and implementation of fiber optics.This book was not bad in any way, there were merely some areas where Goff's book (which was the most useful of the three) were more up to date and the illustrations were more clear.Also, it did seem as if a few items within the book were a little dated.

Good for beginners in fiber optics
This is an excellent book for someone just starting off in the fiber optics industry.Everything is explained in a completely understandable way, with lots of examples and quizes to to test your knowledge at the end of each chapter.I would especially recommend this for sales and marketing types who don't need to know as much as engineers, but need to be able to understand the basics.

Excellent Introduction
I teach telecommunications and was looking for reference material.What I found was a book that will help me better explain complex concepts in terms anyone can understand.I already understood refraction, but Mr. Crisp even gave me new insight in that area.The book is dated, so don't expect to learn about PMD or DWDM, but as a basic tutorial to understanding the basic science behind fiber optics, you won't find clearer text.I should warn, that the math is pretty steep, but he still makes you understand the concept, if not the equations.

A very good book
A very good book to start your education on Fiber Optics. It gives a very basic overview of Fiber Optics that should form an excellent background for further reading. ... Read more

Product Description
The material in this Field Guide derives from the treatment of geometrical optics that has evolved from both the undergraduate and graduate programs at the Optical Sciences Center at the University of Arizona. The development is both rigorous and complete, and it features a consistent notation and sign convention. This volume covers Gaussian imagery, paraxial optics, first-order optical system design, system examples, illumination, chromatic effects, and an introduction to aberrations. The appendices provide supplemental material on radiometry and photometry, the human eye, and several other topics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Field Guide = Desktop Reference
When I took the course this Field Guide is based on, I walked away with a binder full of hand-written notes, which I probably never looked at again.15 years later, I keep this (and about 4 other Field Guides from the same series) within arm's reach in case I don't feel like deriving a paraxial equation or searching for the scotopic response function or digging up some other not-quite-trivial piece of information.One nice feature is that each page is self-contained and devoted to a single topic.Another nice feature is the spiral binding, so it stays open.

Great reference
I had this book as a text for a class and as a text book it stinks, I give it 1 star.However it isn't a text book but rather a reference book.As a reference book I give this 5 stars.It is great if you need a little refresher on optics but this is not something to learn optics from.

Geo Optics
Dr. Greivenkamp has published an excellent reference guide for anyone interested in optical systems. It is an invaluable resource for those of us taking his OPS 201-2 classes at the University of Arizona. He presents the topics straight forward without all the mumbo/jumbo found in many other geometrical optics books. It's a very handy and quick reference guide that includes most if not all of the optical instruments.

An excellent desk reference
This little book is an excellent optics reference book. It collects together the basic concepts and formulas of geometric optics in a clear and concise form, and also defines and explains common optical terminology (pupils, rays, FOV, NA, etc.). It reviews common optical systems like telescopes and microscopes, and has sections on aberrations and chromatic effects. If you do optics, you want to have a copy of this on your desk. The book is particularly useful for those of us who learned basic optics from a book like Hecht's Optics, but now need to actually put what we learned into practice. Beware, though: the sign conventions used may be unfamiliar and may take some getting used to. ... Read more

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Covering some of the most exciting trends in quantum optics - quantum entanglement, teleportation, and levitation - this textbook is ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The book journeys through the vast field of quantum optics following a single theme: light in media. A wide range of subjects are covered, from the force of the quantum vacuum to astrophysics, from quantum measurements to black holes. Ideas are explained in detail and formulated so that students with little prior knowledge of the subject can follow them. Each chapter ends with several short questions followed by a more detailed homework problem, designed to test the reader and show how the ideas discussed can be applied. Solutions to homework problems are available at www.cambridge.org/9780521869782. ... Read more

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Developed in partnership with the Electronic Technician's Association, this book covers the two leading fiber optics certifications: ETA’s Fiber Optics Installer (FOI) and Fiber Optics Technician (FOT). In addition to a comprehensive self-study course, you’ll get a solid foundation in fiber optics directly from the chairman of the ETA, who also serves as the committee chairman for FOI and FOT certification programs. The CD includes advanced testing program with two bonus sample exams, electronic flashcards, plus an electronic copy of the entire book. If you’re preparing for the FOI or FIT certifications, or simply looking for a comprehensive reference guide to fiber optics, this is the one book you’ll definitely want on your desk. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This book is great reference material.
This book is great reference material for the cable installation work we provide here in Iraq.

lite reading for a geek
I ordered this on a whim for my army husband while he was deployed to Iraq and his company was installing fiber optic cable. He's a man of few words and said, "It was good. How much is a person going to bond with a text book?"

Useful Information for Others Also
As the publisher of the only weblog devoted solely to fiber to the home (...), from time to time I receive books to review. So here it is.
As fiber to the home gathers momentum, the need for skilled workers installing and troubleshooting fiber access networks is bound to increase. For the next 15-20 years this will be a well paying job with little fear of outsourcing. The technical publishing and training industries are starting to respond to the challenge with training materials, books, and courses.
Sybex has recently released a textbook titled "Fiber Optics, Installer and Technician Guide" written by Bill Woodward and Emile B. Husson. This book is designed as a study guide to help students pass the Fiber Optic Installer (FOI) and Fiber Optic Technician (FOT) certifications. To this end, the book has obviously succeeded, with questions at the end of each chapter and an accompanying CD-ROM with practice questions, exams, and a .pdf version of the book. Topics covered in the book include history of fiber optics, various aspects of fiber optic technology, a chapter on safety, sections on cabling, splicing and connectors, system design considerations, and testing and troubleshooting.
If one is not preparing for the exam, there is some information in the book that I have not seen in other text books. This includes a safety chapter detailing the hazards of various chemicals used in preparing fiber optic connections, some very thorough information on cabling used in access installations and the installation methods. Finally sprinkled throughout the book are sidebar sections called "Real World Scenario" with installation examples that the authors collected from their students "in the trenches". ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Great for signal processing experts
I came to this book with a good background in signal processing (communications) and math, but not so much in modern optics. The book really brought out the connections. I was able to quickly grasp a lot of the early part of the book, once I stepped up from 1 to 2 dimensions (no big deal). Later parts were sometimes over my head, but still interesting and worth reading. Often I'd just scan slowly, getting the sense of the equations or physics without worrying about proving every detail, then read the concluding paragraphs of a section in more detail and get some understanding. If you have a background like mine, this is a terrific book. Probably pretty good for others, too, but I can't promise that.

Super Summary!
Really great book for seeing the forest without getting clobbered by the trees. I came to the book a practicing optical physicist.While I had seen all the pieces separately over the course of my education, I had never seen so much essential material presented so logically and so well.I find it light years more readable than Goodman, or Born and Wolf.O'Neill has the gift of being able to sense what is hard to swallow, and illuminating it like no other. I would elevate to an essential place on the shelf of any would be optiker of today.Would make an excellent senior undergraduate course, or gift for a beginning graduate student in optics.

Fast-paced and in-depth
Paraphrasing J.W. Goodman in his Fourier Optics, E.L.O'Neill helped consummate the marriage between communication theory and optics.
This book is not an introduction. In under 200 pages, It covers geometrical, fourier and statistical optics without patiently deriving the formulae in small steps. It feels to me like a train ride over a long distance, with many stops where the conductor points at important scenes and tells good stories that I did not know before, even for the places I previously visited. For example, page 26-27 talks about contrast reversal in a most direct fashion in real space, much more elucidating than treatments in frequency space only.
The range of the topics in this book is close to 50% of combined (Warren Smith's Modern Optical Engineering + Joseph Goodman's Fourier Optics & Statistical Optics), the depth is about 80% of that combo, while the thickness is only 10%. ... Read more