From astronomy to x-ray optics, this Encyclopedia contains more than 230 vivid entries examining the most intriguing technological advances and perspectives from distinguished professionals around the globeu2014selecting topics of utmost importance in areas including digital image enhancement, biological modeling, biomedical spectroscopy, and ocean optics for thorough coverage of recent applications in this continually expanding field.

Compiled by 300 of the most widely respected names in the electrooptic sciences, the Encyclopedia is destined to serve as the premiere guide in the field with nearly 2000 figures, 560 photographs, 260 tables, and 3800 equations.

Color graphics available online!

This one-of-a-kind reference delivers top-notch research on

• target detection
• image restoration
• fiber optic sources
• holography
• lens design
• classification and coding
• optical biopsy
• radiometry

Timely and dynamic, the Encyclopedia is an all-inclusive resource of the most significant and essential breakthroughs in photonics, imaging, and wireless communication.

"The Encyclopedia of Optical Engineering has been some time in the making, but is well worth the wait. The contents are well chosen, comprehensive and expanded upon with authority by a leading group of writers, each a major specialist in their specific disciplines. The Encyclopedia is a significant addition to our set of reference materials that will have a special place in an individual and collective libraries and databases."
Brian J. Thompson
Provost Emeritus and Distinguished University Professor
Professor Emeritus of Optics
University of Rochester - Rochester, New York


"This unique encyclopedia provides both breadth and depth in an extraordinarily comprehensive format not found elsewhere. The authors are well known in their respective fields and succinctly provide detailed up-to-date information and data. You will find that this is the only reference book you ever need. A must-have!"
Gerald Holst
Author and Publisher
Fellow, SPIE
Winter Park, Florida


"…structured in a manner that allows a reader, not generally familiar with the topic, rapidly to gain a penetrating understanding of the terminology, background, scope, application, important analytical relationships, and guidance to locate more in-depth and related material."
Barry Johnson
Optical E.T.C. Inc.- Huntsville, Alabama


"…has something for everyone."
Mark G. Kuzyk
Professor and Associate Chair
Department of Physics
Washington State University - Pullman, Washington


"…a unique source of reference material that will become the first place readers go…to learn about topics in optical engineering."
Dennis R. Pape
AlphaLaunch- Orlando, Florida

Preface

In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched allowing researchers to investigate far-off galaxies with images previously impossible. To date, the HST has taken more than 330,000 separate observations and allows fundamental research on universe expansion. In the 1950s and 1960s, the area of fiber optics emerged with the development of glass-clad fibers for guiding light. Today a fiber can carry 200 television channels or more than 200,000 telephone channels. In 1954, Townes and Shawlow demonstated the maser and subsequently described the possibility of the laser. In 1960, Theodore Maiman demonstrated the first laser. Today, lasers are used in surgery, welding, communications, and weapon systems. Diode lasers alone provided for a 1.2 billion dollar market in the year 2000. Finally, In 1927 Farnsworth transmitted the first electronic television picture and that same year Bell Telephone demonstrated the first wireless television transmission between Washington D.C. and New York. In 1960, it is widely believed that Kennedy won the election based primarily on his televised performance in the Nixon-Kennedy debates. Today, there are over 1 billion television sets in operation worldwide. All of these developments in technology can be attributed to a discipline called Optical Engineering.

Classical engineering disciplines include those of electrical, mechanical, civil and sometimes chemical engineering. Computer engineering, although not "classical,"all but exploded in the last quarter century and is now a well-established discipline. I consider an engineering discipline to be an area where an individual can spend a lifetime of work and is supported by government laboratories, academic departments, and professional societies. Optical Engineering, unlike computer engineering, is a slowly growing engineering discipline that is supported by government laboratories and professional societies, but still lacks the demand necessary for the creation of academic departments. It may be that the physics community holds dearly the interaction of light and matter. As a result, the physics community provides supporting academic programs in the supporting fields of optical sciences and photonics. The graduates of these programs frequently find themselves working in the optical engineering discipline.

Before I continue, let me explain that I consider myself an Optical Engineer. While my formal training is that of an electrical engineer, I have not seen a wire or a transistor for at least 10 years. Both my undergraduate and graduate programs had a number of courses in electro-optics. Many electrical engineering programs around the country have courses in electro-optics and a couple of schools have created a specialization or concentration in electro-optics. Graduate courses in electro-optics (and laser systems) are usually attended by both electrical engineering students and physics students. However, the physics programs that include these courses are typically called Optical Sciences or Photonics programs. Before it sounds like I am biased, let me state that both engineers and physicists make excellent optical engineers.

Optical Engineering is an area that is concerned with the engineering of a device or system, where light is involved. This is different than Photonics where the primary concern is the basic interaction of light and matter. There is a large overlap between the two areas. Many people can recall from Star Trek, that Scottie the engineer could not get the ship's systems running until Spock provided some basic science that converted a fundamental problem to a practical solution. Such is the case with optical engineering and photonics.

The importance of Optical Engineering is apparent in everyday life.

• Movie cameras and displays are a critical part of the entertainment industry
• Optical communications is the primary means for telephone and internet signal transmission
• Lasers and light delivery systems have enhanced surgical procedures
• Illumination systems allow night activities such as driving and flying
• Finally, a majority of the precision weapons and night vision devices used so successfully in Desert Storm and other military operations were designed by optical engineers.

From lasers to imagers, optical engineers have made contributions to society to make our lives easier, safer, and more interesting.

This Encyclopedia provides comprehensive coverage of the many fields and disciplines embraced by optical engineering for engineers, scientists, students and individuals interested in these dynamic subjects. The online version is a living document that will grow yearly. Suggestions for new content are appreciated and should be directed to me at the email listed below.

I want to thank three groups of people for my participation in this worthy project. First are the people who had a hand in making me an optical engineer: Carl Halford, Glenn Boreman, the late John Nestler, Luc Biberman, Eddie Burroughs, Ray Deep, Gerry Holst, Rich Vollmerhausen, Tim Edwards, Jim Ratches, Dean Scribner, and Jon Leachtenauer. These people have my admiration, respect, and loyalty. They are truly the cream of the crop in the area of optical engineering and I am very grateful for the opportunities that I have had to learn from them.

Second, I would like to thank the people who worked hard to initiate the project and make the encyclopedia a success. Thanks goes to Marcel Dekker and Brian Thompson, the Provost of the University of Rochestster,for getting the project off the ground. I appreciate the confidence of Glenn Boreman, Barry Johnson, and Russell Dekker in my ability to accomplish this mammoth project. This Encyclopedia would not have been pssoible without their efforts. Although I did not share this with her enough, Ellen Lichtenstein (Encyclopedia Editor) was by far the most helpful and caring person working the project. The work of Alison Cohen was also appreciated more than she knows. The work of all the Topical Editors and Authors is very much appreciated. Our Topical Editors have been superb mentors in identifying encyclopedia content; their particpation improved the resulting product significantly. Many of the entries are amazing in that they provide the fundamental concepts AND they are a true joy to read.

Third and most important I would like to thank my family for the time and support to accomplish this project. My beautiful and inspirational wife Rita, a famous OB/GYN doctor at Johns Hopkins, supports everything that I pursue. My eldest son Ryan and the Drigglets (Megan, Madison, and Buddy) gave me the chaos management experience that served me well in managing the encyclopedia tasks. Their lives are far more interesting than my own and I have been blessed to be a part of them. My closest brother, Keith Krapels, is not of blood, but of the experience of sharing a majority of our lives together. It is because of these people that I do not mind growing older since the process means spending time with them.

Ron Driggers