Design and modeling of photonic components is of great importance to the continued expansion of the utilization of photonics devices and systems. As such, many texts have offered introductions to the relevant principles and procedures. How does another book of this kind find its place in a relatively crowded market?
The answer in this case is that the author makes a strong play for a “hands on” approach to modeling by eschewing detailed theoretical foundations in favor of practical content, including sample MATLAB code. The resulting text covers a range of standard material in an accessible way that should enable students and engineers to grasp the main approaches to modeling passive optical waveguiding as well as some aspects of active devices—namely fiber and semiconductor lasers. Maybe the author could have taken the opportunity to address emergent areas—such as nanostructured devices—where design challenges are significant. Nevertheless, this is a well-constructed book of great utility.
Review by K. Alan Shore, Bangor University, U.K.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.