Elementary Wave Optics

Book Details

• Publisher: Dover

• Author: Robert H. Webb

• Language: English

• Edition: 2005

• ISBN: 0000486439356

• Pages: 288

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches

About The Book

Classical and Modern Optics by Robert H. Webb is an undergraduate textbook that provides a thorough coverage of the standard topics in classical optics, while also delving into the principles of modern optics. The book is designed to offer a balanced approach to both the mathematical and physical aspects of optics, making it an invaluable resource for students looking to understand the subject in its entirety.

This text emphasizes two key concepts throughout: the treatment of scattering from real scatterers, leading to Huygens' principles, diffraction theory, the index of refraction, and other related topics; and the distinction between coherent and noncoherent wave phenomena. The book also extensively examines the superimposition of field amplitudes and the detection of intensities, which are central to many optical phenomena.

The book's highly physical approach is complemented by a comprehensive set of appendices that provide detailed mathematical insights. At the end of each chapter, two sets of problems challenge readers. One set contains well-tested problems with detailed solutions, while the other offers shorter, easier exercises that serve as a traditional set of end-of-chapter problems.

Ideal for students in undergraduate optics courses, this textbook is an excellent tool for gaining a solid foundation in both classical and modern optics, with a particular focus on the practical mathematical tools necessary for understanding quantum mechanics in optics.