This is a tiny but complete and well-illustrated handbook of optical instruments and measurements—what the authors calle a crash course, “What is that thing?”-type guide, full of practical lab tips and tricks throughout the book.
This book contains five chapters, starting with a very precise and clear explanation of different optical phenomena. Fully covering ground-level knowledge for working in any optics lab, such as how to turn on and align a laser, the book includes descriptions of almost all optical lab components, starting with safety goggles, different light sources, optical tables, lenses, photodiodes, CCDs, and and cellphone optics. Chapter 3 is dedicated to spectroscopy and different techniques, from fluorescence to Raman spectroscopy to super-resolution microscopy, and includes data analysis techniques for optical measurement. Chapter 4 precisely describes different imaging techniques and optical microscopy. The last chapter of the book, a must-read chapter, is dedicated to building an optics lab from an empty room.
This guide is easy to understand and an invaluable resource as a must-have, day-to-day implementation handbook for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, researchers and professionals who perform optical research and measurement in laboratories.
Review by Ishtiaque Ahmed, Member IEEE, APS.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.