The Essence of Optoelectronics (Essence of Engineering) [Paperback]

Kathryn M. Booth (Author), Steven L. Hill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1997 | Series: Essence of Engineering

The Prentice Hall Essence of Engineering Series provides a concise, practical and uniform introduction to the core components of an undergraduate engineering degree. Acknowledging the recent changes within Higher Education, this approach uses a variety of pedagogical tools - case studies, worked examples and self-test questions, to underpin the students learning. The Essence of Optoelectronics is written for first year undergraduates who have no prior knowledge of the subject. The emphasis is on a real understanding of the topic, and all lengthy mathematical derivations that may be very elegant but impart little real feeling for the subject have been avoided. This book provides a concise overview to all the areas covered in a one semester course. In each and every chapter the authors explain the pertinent physics with a clarity that is often lacking in other texts. A good example of this is the explanation of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. All subjects are treated with the minimal amount of mathematics and supported by informative and clear figures.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This book provides a concise overview of optoelectronics with extensive examples and a minimum of mathematics.Coverage includes: light and laser light; the fundamentals of optics, including the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution; optical sources; optical fiber; photodetectors, imaging systems, display devices and optoelectronic applications. The book includes extensive self-test questions, case studies, figures, and worked examples.For anyone interested in a basic introduction to optoelectronic technology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR; 1st edition (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0135336546
• ISBN-13: 978-0135336540
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #852,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice intro, May 6, 2009

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This review is from: The Essence of Optoelectronics (Essence of Engineering) (Paperback)

This book provides a superb foundation for further study. Some prior background in optics as well as electronics (especially semiconductors) is needed, though the background need not be especially deep. The math isn't especially difficult either. Anyone with a moderate technical/mathematical background can learn something from this book.

I have to apologize if this review sounds vague -- but the book is just a nice broad intro to a subject that I personally find very interesting (though I'm not a EE). So if you'd like to know more about LEDs, lasers, polarizers, lenses, atc., etc., and how they all fit together -- this is a great place to start.

Unfortunately, it seems to be out of print -- it doesn't have the latest developments -- but I would strongly recommend it in used form as a very good introduction. It always amazes (and saddens) me when such well written and approachables books fall into disfavor.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise and informative, March 9, 2004

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This review is from: The Essence of Optoelectronics (Essence of Engineering) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful introductory book. It's fairly short - this is not one of those texts that has so much information in it that you get overwhelmed; if you want a really in-depth book on the subject, this isn't it - but you might want to read this one before you rush out to buy the eighteen-pound monster. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in self-study. I wish there were more introductory texts this easy to read and inexpensive.