The Computer in Optical Research: Methods and Applications: 41 (Topics in Applied Physics) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 3540101195 ISBN 13: 9783540101192

Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K, 1980

Synopsis

Review: "This book contains six chapters, written by five different authors, describing various aspects of the use of computers in optical research. Chapter 1 is an introduction by B.R. Frieden, containing an overall survey of computer developments in optics, and a survey of the other chapters, but with some interesting additional material. Chapter 2, 'The calculation of integrals encountered in optical diffraction theory', by R. Barakat, gives a very useful survey of this topic, with a useful bibliography. Chapter 3, 'Computational methods of probability and statistics', by B.R. Frieden, is the longest chapter in the book at 130 pages. This chapter is very comprehensive and contains material on many optical topics. Chapter 4, by A.K. Rigler and R.J. Pegis, is 'Optimization methods in optics'. This chapter contains a rather theoretical treatment of this subject, which I found rather disappointing. There is, however, an extensive list of references. Chapter 5, by L. Mertz, is 'Computers and optical astronomy' and is the shortest chapter in the book at 22 pages. Finally, Chapter 6, by W. J. Dallas, is `Computer generated holograms'. This seems to be a useful survey of the topic with, again, an extensive list of references. The overall impression is that this book contains an enormous amount of material, covering a wide range of topics. Inevitably, perhaps, the treatment is rather uneven and Chapter 5 seems rather out of place, in that it gives a rather individual treatment. In the age of the silicon chip, all optical research establishments are likely to own a number of computers and this book should certainly be obtained by these establishments. The individual worker is unlikely to be seriously involved in many different aspects of the use of computers, but many people will find that the book will pay for itself in quite a short time." M. Kidger

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K
• Publication date: 1980
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3540101195
• ISBN 13: 9783540101192
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 384
• Editor: Frieden B. R., Barakat R.