Annually published since 1930, the International bibliography of Historical Sciences (IBOHS) is an international bibliography of the most important historical monographs and periodical articles published throughout the world, which deal with history from the earliest to the most recent times. The works are arranged systematically according to period, region or historical discipline, and within this classification alphabetically. The bibliography contains a geographical index and indexes of persons and authors.

In this volume, six review articles which cover a broad range of topics of current interest in modern optics are included. The first article by S. Saltiel, A.A. Sukhorukov and Y.S. Kivshar presents an overview of various types of parametric interactions in nonlinear optics which are associated with simultaneous phase-matching of several optical processes in quadratic non-linear media, the so-called multi-step parametric interactions. The second article by H.E. Tureci, H.G.L. Schwefel, Ph. Jacquod and A.D. Stone reviews the progress that has been made in recent years in the understanding of modes in wave-chaotic systems. The next article by C.P. Search and P. Meystre reviews some important recent developments in non-linear optics and in quantum optics. The fourth article by E. Hasman, G. Biener, A. Niv and V. Kleiner discusses space-variant polarization manipulation. The article reviews both theoretical analysis and experimental techniques. The article which follows, by A.S. Desyatnikov, L. Torner and Y.S. Kivshar presents an overview of recent researches on optical vortices and phase singularities of electromagnetic waves in different types of non-linear media, with emphasis on the properties of vortex solitons. The concluding article by K. Iwata presents a review of imaging techniques with X-rays and visible light in which phase of the radiation that penetrates through a transparent object plays an important part.

This thesis demonstrates and investigates novel dual-polarization interferometric fiber-optic gyroscope (IFOG) configurations, which utilize optical compensation between two orthogonal polarizations to suppress errors caused by polarization nonreciprocity. Further, it provides a scheme for dual-polarization two-port IFOGs and details their unique benefits. Dual-polarization IFOGs break through the restriction of the "minimal scheme," which conventional IFOGs are based on. These innovative new IFOGs have unique properties: They require no polarizer and have two ports available for signal detection. As such, they open new avenues for IFOGs to achieve lower costs and higher sensitivity.

This book is a compilation of works presenting recent advances and progress in optical fiber technology related to the next generation optical communication, system and network, sensor, laser, measurement, characterization and devices. It contains five sections including optical fiber communication systems and networks, plastic optical fibers technologies, fiber optic sensors, fiber lasers and fiber measurement techniques and fiber optic devices on silicon chip. Each chapter in this book is a contribution from a group of academicians and scientists from a prominent university or research center, involved in cutting edge research in the field of photonics. This compendium is an invaluable reference for researchers and practitioners working in academic institutions as well as industries.

Random lasers are the simplest sources of stimulated emission without cavity, with the feedback provided by scattering in a gain medium. First proposed in the late 1960s, random lasers have grown to a large research field. This book reviews the history and the state of the art of random lasers, provides an outline of the basic models describing their behavior, and describes the recent advances in the field. The major focus of the book is on solid-state random lasers. However, it also briefly describes random lasers based on liquid dyes with scatterers. The chapters of the book are almost independent of each other. So, the scientists or engineers interested in any particular aspect of random lasers can read directly the relevant section. Researchers entering the field of random lasers will find in the book an overview of the field of study. Scientists working in the field can use the book as a reference source.