Nonlinear Optics Third Edition

Nonlinear optics is the study of the interaction of intense laser light with matter. The third edition of this textbook has been rewritten to conform to the standard SI system of units and includes comprehensively updated material on the latest developments in the field. The book presents an introduction to the entire field of optical physics and specifically the area of nonlinear optics, covering fundamental issues and applied aspects of this exciting area. Nonlinear Optics will have lasting appeal to a wide audience of physics, optics, and electrical engineering students, as well as to working researchers and engineers. Those in related fields, such as materials science and chemistry, will also find this book of particular interest. Presents an introduction to the entire field of optical physics from the perspective of nonlinear optics Combines first-rate pedagogy with a treatment of fundamental aspects of nonlinear optics Covers all the latest topics and technology in this ever-evolving industry Strong emphasis on the fundamentals

The Optical Society of America (OSA) and SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering have awarded Robert Boyd with an honorable mention for the Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award for his work on Nonlinear Optics, 2nd edition. Nonlinear optics is essentially the study of the interaction of strong laser light with matter. It lies at the basis of the field of photonics, the use of light fields to control other light fields and to perform logical operations. Some of the topics of this book include the fundamentals and applications of optical systems based on the nonlinear interaction of light with matter. Topics to be treated include: mechanisms of optical nonlinearity, second-harmonic and sum- and difference-frequency generation, photonics and optical logic, optical self-action effects including self-focusing and optical soliton formation, optical phase conjugation, stimulated Brillouin and stimulated Raman scattering, and selection criteria of nonlinear optical materials. · Covers all the latest topics and technology in this ever-evolving area of study that forms the backbone of the major applications of optical technology · Offers first-rate instructive style making it ideal for self-study · Emphasizes the fundamentals of non-linear optics rather than focus on particular applications that are constantly changing

Contemporary Nonlinear Optics discusses the different activities in the field of nonlinear optics. The book is comprised of 10 chapters. Chapter 1 presents a description of the field of nonlinear guided-wave optics. Chapter 2 surveys a new branch of nonlinear optics under the heading optical solitons. Chapter 3 reviews recent progress in the field of optical phase conjugation. Chapter 4 discusses ultrafast nonlinear optics, a field that is growing rapidly with the ability of generating and controlling femtosecond optical pulses. Chapter 5 examines a branch of nonlinear optics that may be termed nonlinear quantum optics. Chapter 6 reviews the new field of photorefractive adaptive neural networks. Chapter 7 presents a discussion of recent successes in the development of nonlinear optical media based on organic materials. Chapter 8 reviews the field of nonlinear optics in quantum confined structures. Chapter 9 reviews the field of nonlinear laser spectroscopy, with emphasis on advances made during the 1980s. Finally, Chapter 10 reviews the field of nonlinear optical dynamics by considering nonlinear optical systems that exhibit temporal, spatial, or spatio-temporal instabilities. This book is a valuable source for physicists and other scientists interested in optical systems and neural networks.

Examining classic theories, experimental methods, and practical formulas for exploration of the core topics in nonlinear optics, the second edition of this acclaimed text was extensively revised to reflect recent advances in the analysis and modification of material properties for application in frequency conversion, optical switching and limiting, multiphoton absorption, and electro-optic effects. Handbook of Nonlinear Optics, Second Edition contains additional chapters on ultrafast characterization techniques, laser flash photolysis, and the electro-optic effect as well as expanded coverage of nonlinear optics in fibers and pulsed two-beam coupling.

Examining classic theories, experimental methods, and practical formulas for exploration of the core topics in nonlinear optics, the second edition of this acclaimed text was extensively revised to reflect recent advances in the analysis and modification of material properties for application in frequency conversion, optical switching and limiting,

Since the early days of nonlinear optics in the 1960s, the field has expanded dramatically, and is now a vast and vibrant field with countless technological applications. Providing a gentle introduction to the principles of the subject, this textbook is ideal for graduate students starting their research in this exciting area. After basic ideas have been outlined, the book offers a thorough analysis of second harmonic generation and related second-order processes, before moving on to third-order effects, the nonlinear optics of short optical pulses and coherent effects such as electromagnetically-induced transparency. A simplified treatment of high harmonic generation is presented at the end. More advanced topics, such as the linear and nonlinear optics of crystals, the tensor nature of the nonlinear coefficients and their quantum mechanical representation, are confined to specialist chapters so that readers can focus on basic principles before tackling these more difficult aspects of the subject.

The book is designed to serve as a textbook for courses offered to upper-undergraduate students enrolled in physics. The first edition of this book was published in 2014. As there is a demand for the next edition, it is quite natural to take note of the several advances that have occurred in the subject over the past five years and to decide which of these are appropriate for inclusion at the textbook level, given the fundamental nature and the significance of the subject area. This is the prime motivation for bringing out a revised second edition. Among the newer mechanisms and materials, the book introduces the super-continuum generation, which arises from an excellent interplay of the various mechanisms of optical nonlinearity. The topics covered in this book are quantum mechanics of nonlinear interaction of matter and radiation, formalism and phenomenology of nonlinear wave mixing processes, optical phase conjugation and applications, self-focusing and self-phase modulation and their role in pulse modification, nonlinear absorption mechanisms, and optical limiting applications, photonic switching and bi-stability, and physical mechanisms leading to a nonlinear response in a variety of materials. This book has emerged from an attempt to address the requirement of presenting the subject at the college level. This textbook includes rigorous features such as the elucidation of relevant basic principles of physics; a clear exposition of the ideas involved at an appropriate level; coverage of the physical mechanisms of non-linearity; updates on physical mechanisms and emerging photonic materials and emphasis on the experimental study of nonlinear interactions. The detailed coverage and pedagogical tools make this an ideal textbook for students and researchers enrolled in physics and related courses.

Praise for the 1st Edition: "well written and up to date.... The problem sets at the end of each chapter reinforce and enhance the material presented, and may give students confidence in handling real-world problems." ―Optics & Photonics News "rigorous but simple description of a difficult field keeps the reader’s attention throughout.... serves perfectly for an introductory-level course." ―Physics Today This fully revised introduction enables the reader to understand and use the basic principles related to many phenomena in nonlinear optics and provides the mathematical tools necessary to solve application-relevant problems. The book is a pedagogical guide aimed at a diverse audience including engineers, physicists, and chemists who want a tiered approach to understanding nonlinear optics. The material is augmented by numerous problems, with many requiring the reader to perform real-world calculations for a range of fields, from optical communications to remote sensing and quantum information. Analytical solutions of equations are covered in detail and numerical approaches to solving problems are explained and demonstrated. The second edition expands the earlier treatment and includes: A new chapter on quantum nonlinear optics. Thorough treatment of parametric optical processes covering birefringence, tolerances and beam optimization to design and build high conversion efficiency devices. Treatment of numerical methods to solving sets of complex nonlinear equations. Many problems in each chapter to challenge reader comprehension. Extended treatment of four-wave mixing and solitons. Coverage of ultrafast pulse propagation including walk-off effects.