Introduction to Modern Optics

By Grant R. Fowles

Book Overview

This incisive text provides a basic undergraduate-level course in modern optics for students in physics, technology and engineering. The first half of the book deals with classical physical optics; the second principally with the quantum nature of light. Chapters 1 and 2 treat the propagation of light waves, including the concepts of phase and group velocities, and the vectorial nature of light. Chapter 3 applies the concepts of partial coherence and coherence length to the study of interference, and Chapter 4 takes up multiple-beam interference and includes Fabry-Perot interferometry and multilayer-film theory. Diffraction and holography are the subjects of Chapter 5, and the propagation of light in material media (including crystal and nonlinear optics) are central to Chapter 6. Chapters 7 and 8 introduce the quantum theory of light and elementary optical spectra, and Chapter 9 explores the theory of light amplification and lasers. Chapter 10 briefly outlines ray optics in order to introduce students to the matrix method for treating optical systems and to apply the ray matrix to the study of laser resonators. Many applications of the laser to the study of optics are integrated throughout the text. The author assumes students have had an intermediate course in electricity and magnetism and some advanced mathematics beyond calculus. For classroom use, a list of problems is included at the end of each chapter, with selected answers at the end of the book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486659577
• ISBN13: 9780486659572
• Release Date: June 1989
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Decent and reasonably priced book

This is an excellent book on fundamentals of optics, and optical devices. It provides a very good reference even for those who are not novices in the field of optics. The book covers a great deal of knowledge for only 12 dollars. Even though the book does not include many solved examples, and it is missing many important topics in optics, I am glad I have purchased it, since it is very affordable.

Best in its class

This is an easy 5 star. For those who gave it less, please think again: 1) Title says: introduction. So don't imagine it covers every equation there is. Get Wolf's book if you like equations that much. 2) Short but concise on key subjects. To do that, you have to skip a lot of intro/background or equations, that's why there are references and citations (and better bricks/bug killers). 3) This is an intro book but also serves well as a refresher. This is intermediate level to advanced level for non-physicists, as it assumes good understanding of calculus. To be fair, the book is not without flaws. One obvious is the name implied recent advances (although different people use modern optics differently), while the book was last revised in 1975. Nonetheless, the key component of modern optics are mostly there, unless you are into cutting edge advances. It might be more appropriate to name it as "intro to physical optics", then again the author added a section of ray optics at the end of the book...

A terrific little book to start with - and continue to use

This book is a little gem - and it costs next to nothing. It's a beautifully concise and remarkably clear introduction to the main principles of modern optics - the ones that you are going to need over and over again as you continue into the subject. This book gives you a great overview and set of basic foundations for every-day modern optics. I return to it often for little insights and reminders, even after 37 years in the business.

Terrific Text

I was fortunate to have a physics professor use this text in his undergrad class. At the time, I considered optics as a mere curiousity. Well, I enjoyed the book and course enough to continue with the subject, eventually getting a PhD in Optical Physics. Never regretted it. I still rely on Fowles as a frequent reference, especially when deriving Fresnel eqns from Maxwell's eqns, solid state refresher, and intro to quantum theory.

Fowle's classic still covers the basics 25 years later

This is a classic introductory text on optics, that is still my first choice recommendation when people ask me for a reference to bring them up to speed on optics, optical phenomena and optical devices. It is concise, readable, and not over-rigourous; perfect for people new to the field who need to "come up to speed". Although there has been a spectacular growth in optics and photonics in the last 25 years, the fundamentals one needs to work in the field have not changed that much, and Fowle's text covers the optical bases well, from polarization to interference to lasers to non-linear optics; it's all here in a condensed readable format.