Laser Physics

This is an absolute tour de force in laser physics and is set to establish itself as a key undergraduate text in this topical area, however, it most certainly would not be out of place as an indispensible reference in the research laboratory. A comprehensive treatment is provided for the basic operation of a generic laser through to the characteristics of all the important modern laser systems and the key features such as single frequency operation,ultrashort pulse generation and measurement and application to non linear optics.'J.R. Taylor, Imperial College, LondonThis is an extraordinarily complete and interesting textbook on lasers. It covers all main topics in laser physics, from historical ruby lasers to the latest developments in non-linear optics, ultra-short pulse generation and frequency combs. This vast subject is treated with a unique and tasty blend of fundamental physics, engineering considerations and practical applications. The agreeable presentation makes it possible to get to the main points at aglance. All useful fundamental concepts, from atomic to solid state physics, from electromagnetism to optics, are clearly introduced, making the whole book extremely self-contained. It will thus be useful fora large audience, from undergraduate students to their professors, who will particularly appreciate the wealth of interesting exercises at the ends of the chapters. It will also rapidly become a reference on state-of-the art laser techniques for researchers and engineers.‘Jean-Michel Raimond, Université Pierre et Marie CurieThis recommended book provides a very readable and comprehensive account of laser physics, extending from basic background material common to most laser systems to more detailed information on most of the main types of laser, including the solid state, semiconductor, fibre, gas and dye varieties.'Rodney Loudon FRS, University of EssexHooker and Webb provides a wide ranging and very thorough grounding in laser physics that is both accessible and mathematically comprehensive. Topics range from the fundamentals of rate equations and cavity design through to the most recent advances in short wavelength and ultra-fast laser systems and measurement techniques.‘Roland Smith, Imperial College, LondonHooker and Webb have drawn on their vast experience of laser research to produce a textbook which is a real tour de force. The lucid treatment of fundamental laser physics in the early chapters is followed by a detailed account of modern laser materials and devices. This superb book will undoubtedly become an essential text for undergraduates and researchers alike.'S.L. Cornish, Durham UniversityThis is an excellent introductory textbook on lasers. Basic principles are presented with careful attention paid to the underlying physics. The text’s clarity and style reflect the extensive road-testing that the material has received through exposure to generations of Oxford physics students. The principles are further illuminated through detailed discussion of specific laser systems of particular prominence. These serve as exemplars and also provide anup-to-date view of the rapidly evolving landscape of lasers and their applications. This makes the book attractive not only to students but to practitioners and researchers in need of relevant facts andfigures.‘David Hanna, University of Southampton

Simon Hooker’s doctoral and early post-doctoral work in Oxford involved a study of novel line- and broadly-tunable vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lasers optically-pumped by a molecular fluorine laser. In 1994 he moved to Stanford University to work with Prof. Steve Harris. He returned to the UK in 1996 to take up a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and to start a new research group in the Clarendon Laboratory. He joined the faculty of Oxford’s Department ofPhysics in 2005; he was made Reader in 2006, and Professor in 2008.

Colin Webb completed his D.Phil. at Oxford in 1964, the first research degree specifically on the topic of laser physics undertaken anywhere outside the USA. He was then recruited as a member of technical staff of Bell Laboratories, New Jersey, USA. He returned to Oxford University in 1968 to head the Laser group at the Clarendon Laboratory. In the 1970s he became a University Lecturer and Fellow of Jesus College. Until his retirement in 2002, Colin Webb was the ad hominem Professor of LaserPhysics at the University of Oxford, and from 1995-1999 he was Head of Atomic and Laser Physics. He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America serving as Director-at-Large from 1991-1994. In 1991 hewas elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, receiving its Clifford Paterson Medal and Prize in 1998. In January 2000 he was awarded an MBE for services to the UK Laser Industry.