Topics covered by this text include imaging, radiometry, source detectors and lasers, with a special emphasis on flux-transfer issues. The author takes a first-order approach so that students and professionals can quickly make the back-of-envelope calculations needed for initial setup of optical apparatus. The target is to help readers solve the practical problems frequently encountered by those new to the field of electro-optics. The text aims to enable readers to answer such questions as: where is the image, how big is it, how much light gets to the detectors, and how small an object is it possible to see?

A textbook on lasers and optical engineering should include all aspects of lasers and optics; however, this is a large undertaking. The objective of this book is to give an introduction to the subject on a level such that under graduate students (mostly juniors/seniors), from disciplines like electrical engineering, physics, and optical engineering, can use the book. To achieve this goal, a lot of basic background material, central to the subject, has been covered in optics and laser physics. Students with an elementary knowledge of freshman physics and with no formal courses in electromagnetic theory should be able to follow the book, although for some sections, knowledge of electromagnetic theory, the Fourier transform, and linear systems would be highly beneficial. There are excellent books on optics, laser physics, and optical engineering. Actually, most of my knowledge was acquired through these. However, when I started teaching an undergraduate course in 1974, under the same heading as the title of this book, I had to use four books to cover the material I thought an electrical engineer needed for his introduction to the world of lasers and optical engineering. In my sabbatical year, 1980-1981, I started writing class notes for my students, so that they could get through the course by possibly buying only one book. Eventually, these notes grew with the help of my undergraduate and graduate students, and the final result is this book.

A textbook on lasers and optical engineering should include all aspects of lasers and optics; however, this is a large undertaking. The objective of this book is to give an introduction to the subject on a level such that under graduate students (mostly juniors/seniors), from disciplines like electrical engineering, physics, and optical engineering, can use the book. To achieve this goal, a lot of basic background material, central to the subject, has been covered in optics and laser physics. Students with an elementary knowledge of freshman physics and with no formal courses in electromagnetic theory should be able to follow the book, although for some sections, knowledge of electromagnetic theory, the Fourier transform, and linear systems would be highly beneficial. There are excellent books on optics, laser physics, and optical engineering. Actually, most of my knowledge was acquired through these. However, when I started teaching an undergraduate course in 1974, under the same heading as the title of this book, I had to use four books to cover the material I thought an electrical engineer needed for his introduction to the world of lasers and optical engineering. In my sabbatical year, 1980-1981, I started writing class notes for my students, so that they could get through the course by possibly buying only one book. Eventually, these notes grew with the help of my undergraduate and graduate students, and the final result is this book.

This text aims to expose students to the science of optics and optical engineering without the complications of advanced physics and mathematical theory.

SPIE Professional Development materials provide viewers with technical guidance in a variety of fields.

"This book provides a functional overview of electronics and an appreciation for how knowledge of electronics can enhance optical engineering projects. The first six chapters focus on a wide range of circuits that are fundamental to understanding and working with electronics. This presentation is supplemented by techniques for making electronic measurements and for moving data from the sensor to the computer. The next seven chapters introduce electronic devices of interest to optical engineers and build on the earlier chapters. Examples are provided throughout the book that range from simple calculations to sample MATLAB scripts. The aim of the MATLAB-based examples is to support an understanding of the fundamentals and relationships behind the electronics, and to provide a starting point for creating customized code"--