Laser Fundamentals

by William T. Silfvast

Book Overview

Laser Fundamentals provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the physical and engineering principles of laser operation and design. Simple explanations, based throughout on key underlying concepts, lead the reader logically from the basics of laser action to advanced topics in laser physics and engineering. Much new material has been added to this second edition, especially in the areas of solid-state lasers, semiconductor lasers, and laser...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521541050
• ISBN13: 9780521541053
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 674 Pages
• Weight: 3.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 8.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Laser Fundamentals

Quick delivery. Quality product. Substantial source of technical knowledge. Well worth the money. I am a very satisfied customer.

Buy the Second Edition!!!

This book is incredible! It will take the reader with an understanding of Calculus and Differential Equations and provide them with inside to a sufficient level of science and notation (from quantum mechanics, Russell-Sauders, etc) and give you all the skills required to design a laser. I have the good fortune of taking the class from the Author, who created the first blue-helium metal vapor laser. His book is providing the insight to the lectures, so I think I could have learned it all just from the text. By the end of this text, I will have designed my first laser, and considering I had never seen one until a few weeks ago... I am fully thankful to this great book, and all the experiences that the contributor gave us. The text has sufficient derivation to see that he's not just dropping down equations, and it is combined with the many figures which explain the physics and actual test data which give you a 'feel' for what is happening. I particularly like the chapter intros that tell you where you are going, but the chapters are packed with information. This was my first formal introducion to quantum mechanics, laser design, material gain, etc. and it is definately coherent. I predict that this book will be in my collection long after my other texts have been donated to other students or colleagues, because I will not part with it.

Perfect for beginners

I was looking for a good laser book tried svelto, siegman but they were written at a comparatively higher level, so I found this book, boy! what a relief. I guess the best part of the book is that the author doesn't stress too much on mathematics, electromagnetics or advanced optics. Moreover the early chapters deals with all the fundamentals required to understand lasers (that is covered in later chapters)Bottomline: If you need a quick yet thorough introduction to lasers, this is the book.

Comprehensive, but mistakes

This book is a good crash course on lasers. It does not have much physical insight which would be nice, but it does run through the basic formulas and concepts you should know. That's a little different from what a physics/math major is used to, but....eh. good enough for government work.

Lots of practical information on lasers

This book covers the most important aspects of lasers. It has up to date information on many of the latest types of lasers (e.g. ultrafast pulsed lasers), and includes lots of practical information. It is an excellent book.