This third edition of what is arguably the most read book on applications of nonlinear fiber optics was published last year, twelve years after the work’s second edition. Both the book itself (in its earlier editions) and the author are well-known and respected, to the point where a review seems almost unnecessary.
Still, much has happened in the field in the meantime, and the new edition includes extensive updates to several chapters, on topics ranging from photonic-crystal fibers to fiber amplifiers to quantum communications. The chapter references are extensive and very much up to date. The ebook edition reviewed included several color charts and figures and the expected heavy-duty mathematics of nonlinear optics. An index of terms and a list of acronyms help readers find their way in the book.
Each chapter includes several exercises, making it particularly useful as a textbook for advanced undergraduates or graduate students. Of course, the book is equally helpful as a reference for professionals in the field, especially if accompanied by the other Agrawal classic, Nonlinear Fiber Optics, the sixth edition of which was released in 2019.
Review by Bogdan Hoanca, 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.