It is well-known by now that the angular momentum carried by elementary particles can be categorized as spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM). In the early 1900s, Poynting recognized that a particle, such as a photon, can carry SAM, which has only two possible states, i.e., clockwise and anticlockwise circular polarization states. However, only fairly recently, in 1992, Allen et al. discovered that photons with helical phase fronts can carry OAM, which has infinite orthogonal states. In the past two decades, the OAM-carrying beam, due to its unique features, has gained increasing interest from many different research communities, including physics, chemistry, and engineering. Its twisted phase front and intensity distribution have enabled a variety of applications, such as micromanipulation, laser beam machining, nonlinear matter interactions, imaging, sensing, quantum cryptography and classical communications. This book aims to explore novel insights of OAM beams. It focuses on state-of-the-art advances in fundamental theories, devices and applications, as well as future perspectives of OAM beams.

This book is a collection of papers that originated as a Special Issue, focused on some recent advances related to fiber Bragg grating-based sensors and systems. Conventionally, this book can be divided into three parts: intelligent systems, new types of sensors, and original interrogators. The intelligent systems presented include evaluation of strain transition properties between cast-in FBGs and cast aluminum during uniaxial straining, multi-point strain measurements on a containment vessel, damage detection methods based on long-gauge FBG for highway bridges, evaluation of a coupled sequential approach for rotorcraft landing simulation, wearable hand modules and real-time tracking algorithms for measuring finger joint angles of different hand sizes, and glaze icing detection of 110 kV composite insulators. New types of sensors are reflected in multi-addressed fiber Bragg structures for microwave–photonic sensor systems, its applications in load-sensing wheel hub bearings, and more complex influence in problems of generation of vortex optical beams based on chiral fiber-optic periodic structures. Original interrogators include research in optical designs with curved detectors for FBG interrogation monitors; demonstration of a filterless, multi-point, and temperature-independent FBG dynamical demodulator using pulse-width modulation; and dual wavelength differential detection of FBG sensors with a pulsed DFB laser.

This textbook integrates the most advanced topics of physical-layer security, cryptography, covert/stealth communications, quantum key distribution (QKD), and cyber security to tackle complex security issues. After introducing the reader to various concepts and practices, the author addresses how these can work together to target problems, rather than treating them as separate disciplines. This book offers students an in-depth exposition on: cryptography, information-theoretic approach to cryptography, physical-layer security, covert/stealth/low-probability of detection communications, quantum information theory, QKD, and cyber security; to mention few. The goal is to provide a unified description of the most advanced topics related to: (i) modern cryptography, (ii) physical-layer security, (iii) QKD, (iv) covert communications, and (v) cyber security. Each chapter is followed by a set of problems. Also, for readers to better understand the book, an appendix covers all needed background. Homework problems and lecture notes are available online. The book does not require any prior knowledge or prerequisite material.

Theses on any subject submitted by the academic libraries in the UK and Ireland.

The merging of metasurface and holography brings about unprecedented opportunities for versatile manipulation of light in terms of both far-field wavefront and near-field profile. In this book, a brief evolving history from surface plasmon polariton holography to metamaterial holography and finally to metasurface holography is introduced at first. Basic physical mechanisms that govern the phase modulation rules behind metasurface holography design are discussed later. Next, extended functionalities such as arbitrary polarization holography, vectorial holography, full-color holography, and hybrid holography achieved in the metasurface platform are presented. Surface wave and metagrating holography that bridges the on-chip surface wave and free-space wave is also introduced. In the end, we envisage practical applications of high-fidelity 3D holographic display, high-secure encryption, and high capacity digital encoding and also indicate remaining challenges based on metasurface holography.

The first comprehensive and authoritative coverage of the angular momentum of light, illustrating both its theoretical and applied aspects.

This title gives students a good understanding of how quantum mechanics describes the material world. The text stresses the continuity between the quantum world and the classical world, which is merely an approximation to the quantum world.

Throughout most of the twentieth century, electric propulsion was considered the technology of the future. Now, the future has arrived. This important new book explains the fundamentals of electric propulsion for spacecraft and describes in detail the physics and characteristics of the two major electric thrusters in use today, ion and Hall thrusters. The authors provide an introduction to plasma physics in order to allow readers to understand the models and derivations used in determining electric thruster performance. They then go on to present detailed explanations of: Thruster principles Ion thruster plasma generators and accelerator grids Hollow cathodes Hall thrusters Ion and Hall thruster plumes Flight ion and Hall thrusters Based largely on research and development performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and complemented with scores of tables, figures, homework problems, and references, Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion: Ion and Hall Thrusters is an indispensable textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are preparing to enter the aerospace industry. It also serves as an equally valuable resource for professional engineers already at work in the field.

Although particle accelerators are the book's main thrust, it offers a broad synoptic description of beams which applies to a wide range of other devices such as low-energy focusing and transport systems and high-power microwave sources. Develops material from first principles, basic equations and theorems in a systematic way. Assumptions and approximations are clearly indicated. Discusses underlying physics and validity of theoretical relationships, design formulas and scaling laws. Features a significant amount of recent work including image effects and the Boltzmann line charge density profiles in bunched beams.

Radiative Processes in Astrophysics: This clear, straightforward, and fundamental introduction is designed to present-from a physicist's point of view-radiation processes and their applications to astrophysical phenomena and space science. It covers such topics as radiative transfer theory, relativistic covariance and kinematics, bremsstrahlung radiation, synchrotron radiation, Compton scattering, some plasma effects, and radiative transitions in atoms. Discussion begins with first principles, physically motivating and deriving all results rather than merely presenting finished formulae. However, a reasonably good physics background (introductory quantum mechanics, intermediate electromagnetic theory, special relativity, and some statistical mechanics) is required. Much of this prerequisite material is provided by brief reviews, making the book a self-contained reference for workers in the field as well as the ideal text for senior or first-year graduate students of astronomy, astrophysics, and related physics courses. Radiative Processes in Astrophysics also contains about 75 problems, with solutions, illustrating applications of the material and methods for calculating results. This important and integral section emphasizes physical intuition by presenting important results that are used throughout the main text; it is here that most of the practical astrophysical applications become apparent.