Olaf Stenzel Knihy

The book is intended to bridge the gap between fundamental physics courses (such as optics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and solid state physics) and highly specialized literature on the spectroscopy, design, and application of optical thin film coatings. Basic knowledge from the above-mentioned courses is therefore presumed. Starting from fundamental physics, the book enables the reader to derive the theory of optical coatings and to apply it to practically important spectroscopic problems. Both classical and semi-classical approaches are included. Examples describe the full range of classical optical coatings in various spectral regions as well as highly specialized new topics such as rugate filters and resonant grating waveguide structures.

Focusing on light-matter interactions, this book serves as a comprehensive introduction to optics and photonics, employing a rigorous bottom-up approach. It covers essential physics through model systems, including atoms and solids, to build familiarity and confidence in the subject. Detailed mathematical treatments are complemented by practical application examples and problems with solutions, making it an invaluable resource for graduate and advanced undergraduate students preparing for studies or exams in photonics.

Optical coatings, i. e. multilayer stacks composed from a certain number of thin individual layers, are an essential part of any optical system necessary to tailor the properties of the optical surfaces. Hereby, the performance of any optical coating is defined by a well-balanced interplay between the properties of the individual coating materials and the geometrical parameters (such as film thickness) which define their arrangement. In all scientific books dealing with the performance of optical coatings, the main focus is on optimizing the geometrical coating parameters, particularly the number of individual layers and their thickness. At the same time, much less attention is paid to another degree of freedom in coating design, namely the possibility to tailor optical material properties to an optimum relevant for the required specification. This book, on the contrary, concentrates on the material aside of the problem. After a comprehensive review of the basics of thin film theory, traditional optical coating material properties and their relation to the efficiency of coating design methods, emphasis is placed on novel results concerning the application of material mixtures and nanostructured coatings in optical coating theory and practice, including porous layers, dielectric mixtures as well as metal island films for different applications.