Scribd
Upload
187 views1 page

Optical Electronics

The document reviews two books on optics and optoelectronics. It provides a summary of the topics and contents covered in each book and recommends them as comprehensive references for students and professionals working in these fields.

Uploaded by

Vipin kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
187 views1 page

Optical Electronics

The document reviews two books on optics and optoelectronics. It provides a summary of the topics and contents covered in each book and recommends them as comprehensive references for students and professionals working in these fields.

Uploaded by

Vipin kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Book Reviews

set problems throughout the book are very helpful as


Optical Electronics they help the readers understanding of the subject.
I recommend this book both to the lecturer and
A.K. Ghatak and K. 7’hyagarajan undergraduates currently undertaking optics courses
Cambridge University Press, 1989, and wondering which is the most comprehensive book
ISBN o-521-31408-9, pp xii + 624, E25.00 to buy and to those further on in their careers who wish
to obtain a clear reference book which they can use
Although my first comment was ‘How can they justify without having to attend the lectures themselves to
yet another book on fundamental optics?’ I have been understand the principles behind some of the most
convinced, whilst reviewing this book, that it is a useful important modem optics applications.
addition to the standard literature in this subject area
and well able to stand alongside earlier work by Born R.M. Wood
and Wolfe, Jenkins and White, Yariv, Bloembergen GEC Research
and Akhamanov. I, for one, will keep this book in a
prominent place on my bookshelf for easy reference.
This book is basically a fundamental rewrite of the
theory of optics starting from Maxwell’s equations and
extending to a comprehensive theoretical treatment of Optoelectronics -An Introduction
the most important topics in modern optics. It is firmly (Second Edition)
based in the SI MKS system. The contents of the book
are extremely well organized in a logical sequence. It J. Wilson and J.F.B. Hawes
starts with the basic formulation of the equations Prentice Hall, 1989,
governing the propagation of electromagnetic waves, ISBN 0- 13-63846 l-7, pp xiv + 470, 239.95
covers reflection and refraction of electromagnetic
waves and follows on by discussing wave propagation Updates and re-editions of books dealing with fast
in anisotropic media. Chapters on Fraunhofer and moving technologies are always welcome. Opto-
Fresnel diffraction are followed by chapters on spatial electronics is such a technology and therefore the
frequency filtering and holography. The chapters on second edition of Wilson and Hawkes’s book can be
lasers and holography are extremely well presented certain of being well received by the appropriate
and are recommended as good basic reading for sections of the academic community.
those who are interested in learning about the subject. The two opening chapters of the book are devoted
A chapter on the fundamental theory of optical to the physics of light and to elements of solid state
waveguides is followed by a discussion of waveguide physics. An early introduction to Maxwell’s wave
modes and losses, optical fibres and integrated optics. equation (page 3!) is followed by phase and group
Chapters on the electro-optic effect, the acousto-optic velocities (page 5) the wave-vector, polarization,
effect (the differences between Raman-Nath and interference, the Huygen’s principle, Fraunhofer and
Bragg diffraction are very well outlined) and non-linear Fresnel types of diffraction, followed by light units (a
optics cover these topics in exemplary detail. mere two pages), the de Broglie relation, Born’s wave
It is understood that the subject matter for this book function, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, the
was first collated in the course of the author’s lecturing Schrodinger equation, the potential well, quantum
duties and leads to the comment that as long as the numbers, followed by eigenvalues, the Pauli exclusion
lecture delivery was as clear, lucid and interesting as principle, the Kroning-Penny model, the Brillouin zone,
the text then the recipients have been very fortunate in direct and indirect bandgap in semiconductors,
their lecturer. Although the book covers the ground of relaxation time - phew! Let me catch my breath. All of
most undergraduate optics courses it also extends in the above is packed, rather too tightly for this
to the fields of research and applied optics and covers reviewer’s taste, into the first 43 pages of the book.
the basic ground work of most postgraduate optics Fortunately, the pace eases off, as page 45 brings
courses, It should therefore not date and will serve as a along semiconductors. From then on, engineers,
good text book for years to come. particularly those with an electronics upbringing, will
This book is very clearly written to an exemplary find things less forbidding and by the time the p-n
standard of English and both the authors and the junction shows up, on its 20 pages of text, they will be
publishers should be complimented on the layout, on home ground.
presentation etc. A good list of references and a fine selection of
The book concludes with useful mathematical problems are provided at the end of each of these two,
appendices and a comprehensive index. It is also and the remaining eight, chapters. Undergraduates
good to see not only a comprehensive series of and other studious readers will appreciate the listing of
references but also suggestions for further reading, numerical answers given in an appendix.
acknowledging that others have also published widely Optoelectronics is introduced in Chapter 3, entirely
in the subject. The provision of relevant examples and devoted to the modulation of laser light. Beam

Optics Et Laser Technology


406 Vol21 No 6 1989

You might also like