Optical Sources, Detectors, and Systems

Optical Sources, Detectors, and Systems presents a unified approach, from the applied engineering point of view, to radiometry, optical devices, sources, and receivers. One of the most important and unique features of the book is that it combines modern optics, electric circuits, and system analysis into a unified, comprehensive treatment.

The text provides physical concepts together with numerous data for sources and systems and offers basic analytical tools for a host of practical applications. Convenient reference sources, such as a glossary with explanatory text for specialized optical terminology, are included. Also, there are many illustrative examples and problems with solutions. The book covers many important, diverse areas such as medical thermography, fiber optical communications, and CCD cameras. It also explains topics such asD *, NEP, f number, RA product, BER, shot noise, and more.

This volume can be considered an essential reference for research and practical scientists working with optical and infrared systems, as well as a text for graduate-level courses on optoelectronics, optical sources and systems, and optical detection. Aproblem solution manual for instructors who wish to adopt this text is available.

• Provides a unified treatment of optical sources, detectors, and applications
• Explains D *, NEP, f number, RA product, BER, shot noise, and more
• Contains numerous illustrative examples and exercises with solutions
• Extensively illustrated with more than 90 drawings and graphs

This text will be of interest to students, researchers, and systems engineers. The fundamentals of blackbody radiation, lasers, and optical detectors are developed in a unified manner and used for a quantitative formulation of measurement precision, communication and radar error rates, and imaging system sensitivity. The treatment includes a thorough explanation of photon, Johnson, and amplifier noise, as well as noise in avalanche photodiodes and optical amplifiers. Detector properties from D* to RA product are defined and explained. Optical system concepts such as focal length, f number, field-of-view, and aperture area are then utilized to establish performance capability for both direct detection and heterodyne systems. Numerous examples and problems cover such diverse topics as medical thermography and laser speed detectors. This book emphasizes the basics and provides ample references to more detailed treatments and specific applications.