I recommend this textbook because of its pedagogical excellence. The author is an experimentalist and an experienced teacher. The intended audience is undergraduates without knowledge of quantum mechanics. In addition to the exceptionally clear writing, the reader is aided by large well-designed figures, key references, problem sets and an index. Eleven appendices introduce such topics as the δ-function, tensors, Bessel-functions and Green’s functions. All of the important equations are given step-wise derivations. The chapters on detectors and noise, coherence theory, Gaussian beams, optics of anisotropic media, and optical fibers and waveguides are written in a refreshing pedagogical approach. The book’s topics range from clear discussions of how to operate all kinds of lasers, nonlinear optics and electro- and acousto-optics, to modern topics such as phase-matching, photonic crystals, stratified media, photon statistics, polarized light, squeezed light and laser pulses of extremely short duration.
Review by Barry R. Masters, Fellow of AAAS, OSA and SPIE.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.