Lasers, Theory and Practice Book

	Preface
	Acknowledgements
	List of symbols
1	Energy levels in atoms and molecules	1
2	Light and its properties	47
3	Interaction of light with matter	99
4	Gaussian beams	155
5	Resonant optical cavities	213
6	Laser oscillation	249
7	Laser excitation and systems	314
8	Transient effects	416
	Appendix 1: Quantum mechanics	479
	Appendix 2: Spherical harmonics	487
	Appendix 3: Propagation in planar dielectric waveguides	489
	Appendix 4: The Wiener-Khintchine theorem	495
	Appendix 5: The condition for direct optical transitions between conduction bands and valence bands	497
	Appendix 6: Error signal using third harmonic of frequency-modulated signal	499
	Appendix 7: Optical heterodyne detection	501
	Appendix 8: Laser safety	502
	Appendix 9: Physical constants and properties of some common semiconductors at room temperature	508
	Index	509