Optical Properties and Materials

The following sections are included:

• Introduction — The Reaction between Radiation and Materials

  • Radiation and Resources

  • Reaction between Radiation and Materials

• Emission of Continuous and Characteristic Radiation

  • Continuous Spectrum

  • Characteristic Spectrum

• Applications of Photon Emission

  • Electron Probe Microanalysis

  • Luminescence

• Laser and Laser Materials

  • What is a Laser?

  • Laser Materials

  • Ceramic Lasers

  • Laser Applications

• Case Study — A Compact Disc (CD) System

  • The Principle of Digital Optical Storage

  • CD Materials

• Thermal Photoemission

• Interaction of Photons with Materials

  • Absorption and Transmission

  • Case Study — Colour

  • Refraction

  • Reflection

• Case Study — Optical Fibres and Photonic Systems

  • Advantages of Optical Telecommunications

  • Material Properties for Optical Fibres

  • Structure of Optical Fibre Cables

  • Photonic Communication System

• Summary

• Important Concepts