Recommendations for Introduction to Lasers Books

[Septim]

Greetings everyone,

I am an undergraduate physics student an I would like to receive your suggestions about introduction to laser books. Which one do you recommend for a beginner? The possible candidates I have found are as follows:
Laser Fundamentals William T. Silfvast
Basics of Laser Physics Karl F. Renk
Principles of Lasers Grazio Svelto
Laser Electronics Joseph Verdeyen

 

[Gordianus]

I've read Svelto's and Verdeyen's books. Having studied electronics I prefer Verdeyen's by a small margin.

 

[Andy Resnick]

I just picked a text for my course- I looked through Siegman, Svelto, and Milonnii/Eberly. I chose Milonni and Eberly- it was the best of the three: more current than Siegman, more rigor than Svelto.

 

[Septim]

By the way I forgot to mention it is my second year in university. Andy Resnick I think you recommend Milonni and Eberly over Svelto, is it hard compared to Svelto and which edition is the most up to date one ?

 

[Andy Resnick]

I'm not sure which edition of Milonni and Eberly (this is "Laser Physics", not "Lasers") is in front of me- it only has a publication date of 2010. In terms of difficulty, it seems that prior exposure to undergrad E&M and quantum is sufficient. I was also comparing the 5th edition of Svelto, which also seems to require exposure to undergrad E&M and quantum.

They are both good, ultimately my decision was based on relatively minor considerations.

 

[Septim]

Okay I am indebted for your recommendations, I have taken a course on quantum physics and yet to take a course on E&M. However, I know vector calculus, Maxwell's equations and some tensor calculus, will I be able to tackle with the book by Milonni and Eberly without getting stuck too much ? I am going to self-study in the summer.

 

[Septim]

I ordered Laser Physics from Amazon after looking through it and started studying the book available at the library of my university. I would like to state that it seems an excellent book so far and has clear explanations for the derivations of the formulas.

 

[antonima]

If you are interested in laser physics be sure to also look at this website:
<argh too few posts> google: encyclopedia of laser physics.
Its a great resource!

 

[antonima]

http://www.rp-photonics.com/encyclopedia.html
there :)

 

[Septim]

I found that site by myself :), it really help out and I refer to it if I do not have the chance to consult to an instructor etc.

 

[WARRIOR1]

Coldren and Corzine, called something like "laser diodes and integrated circuits", the first chapters and the appendix are good for beginners. In general it is an advanced book, but the appendix is useful in that it is fairly rigorous.

I think my favourite as an undergrad was Wilson and Hawkes, can't remember which book of theirs it was though, an old one i think.