Optomechanics can be viewed as mechanical engineering applied to optical systems “with the decimal point moved several positions to the left.” Although it is as old a field as optics, fewer textbooks are available for optomechanics than for optics, with most titles referencing the more general topic of optical engineering.
Essentially, this book deals with positioning and degrees of freedom for optical components (windows, lenses, mirrors and prisms), from basic principles to practical considerations. It is written by two senior researchers in the field. Over pages of copious diagrams, the book delves into a heavily mathematical treatment aided by multiple helpful examples. Each chapter includes problems, with answers, as well as a list of references (older, seminal publications) and a list of further reading (newer, but still going back decades). Several appendixes with tables of materials properties and a brief index are also included.
The book would be ideal as a textbook for graduate students with some knowledge of both optics and mechanical engineering, or for practitioners in the field.
Review by Bogdan Hoanca, a professor of management information systems at the University of Alaska Anchorage, USA.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.