D.B. Ostrowsky – författare

This book is a unified presentation of guided wave nonlinear optics. The path from the original nonlinear optical experiments based on multi-megawatt lasers in bulk materials to the recent breakthroughs using milliwatt laser powers in guided configurations is outlined. The chapters cover both the theoretical framework of the field and applications to basic scientific research, optimal communications and technical instrumentation. Specific topics include nonlinear interactions using integrated optical guides, surface waves and optical fibres as well as the related topics of fibre and integrated optical lasers and amplifiers. Developments concerning solitons and soliton-based devices are presented in detail. For each topic care is taken to ensure an heuristic introduction in order to facilitate the transition toward state-of-the-art advanced research material presented by recognized world leaders in these fields.

The Advanced Study Institute on Fiber and Integrated Optics was held at Cargese from June 23 to July 7, 1978, at a time when both fields were undergoing a very rapid evolution. Fiber optics communications systems, in a multimode form, are moving out of laboratories and into practical use, and integrated optics is beginning to produce high performance, single-mode devices. In addition, the spin-off from the technological developments in both fields is beginning to have a growing impact on the general field of experimental physics. The lectures given at Cargese and assembled here illustrate these points and will be of considerable interest to both newcomers and people already in these fields. The lectures in the first eight chapters of the book deal with fiber and optical communications. The second section, chapters 9-13, is devoted essentially to integrated optics. The third section, chapters 14-17, is devoted to technical seminars and the remaining chapters, 18-22, to national reviews and economic aspects of fiber systems. On behalf of the organizing committee, which included Drs. Unger, Arnaud, Scheggi, and Daino, I would like to thank the Scientific Affairs Division of NATO, and in particular its director, Dr. T. Kester, for enabling this Advanced Study Institute to be held. In addition, we would like to offer a very heartfelt thanks to Marie-France Hanseler, who, aided by Aline Medernach and G. Sala, created the memorable atmosphere that pervaded the Institute.

The Advanced Study Institute on Fiber and Integrated Optics was held at Cargese from June 23 to July 7, 1978, at a time when both fields were undergoing a very rapid evolution. Fiber optics communications systems, in a multimode form, are moving out of laboratories and into practical use, and integrated optics is beginning to produce high performance, single-mode devices. In addition, the spin-off from the technological developments in both fields is beginning to have a growing impact on the general field of experimental physics. The lectures given at Cargese and assembled here illustrate these points and will be of considerable interest to both newcomers and people already in these fields. The lectures in the first eight chapters of the book deal with fiber and optical communications. The second section, chapters 9-13, is devoted essentially to integrated optics. The third section, chapters 14-17, is devoted to technical seminars and the remaining chapters, 18-22, to national reviews and economic aspects of fiber systems. On behalf of the organizing committee, which included Drs. Unger, Arnaud, Scheggi, and Daino, I would like to thank the Scientific Affairs Division of NATO, and in particular its director, Dr. T. Kester, for enabling this Advanced Study Institute to be held. In addition, we would like to offer a very heartfelt thanks to Marie-France Hanseler, who, aided by Aline Medernach and G. Sala, created the memorable atmosphere that pervaded the Institute.

The object of this school, held at Cargese, Corsica (France) from August 12th to 24th 1991, was the presentation of the field of guided wave nonlinear optics in a comprehensive, coherent, and heuristic fashion. It seems appropriate that this school began with an historical introduction by Professor Nicolaas Bloembergen of Harvard, the acknowledged "father" of nonlinear optics, in general, and concluded with a round table discussion headed by Dr. Eric Spitz, the Scientific Director of a multinational electronics company interested in developing industrial applications of guided wave nonlinear optics. The lectures covered both the theoretical framework of the field and applications to basic scientific research, optical communications and technical instrumentation. Specific topics developed included materials for guided wave nonlinear optics, nonlinear interactions using integrated optical guides, nonlinear surface waves, solitons, fiber nonlinear optics, ultra-fast coupler switching as well as the related topic of fiber and integrated optical lasers and amplifiers. Lectures have also been devoted to squeezed states, chaos and strange attractors. The subjects covered by the school underlines one of the major ways in which this field has evolved over the past thirty some odd years. The path from the original experiments with materials requiring mega-watt power lasers to the recent developments in guided wave configurations using milliwatt power diode lasers is marked by the conjunction of ever improving fundamental scientific comprehension and continuing technological developments.

As optical fiber communication systems have moved out of the laboratory and into commercial use over the past several years, the general field of guided wave and coherent optics has undergone a radical transformation. Research in optical communication has turned heavily towards single-mode technology and, totally new phenomena and applications of the existing technology, outside the communication field, have begun to proliferate. It was for this reason that we decided to organize a NATO Advanced Study Institute assembling the leading workers in this new domain, in order to define the state of the art, and, develop an idea of the new directions the field might take. The lectures and seminars presented at this Advanced Study Institute form the basis for this book. The subjects treated can be roughly grouped as : - New phenomena in optical fibers such as non-linear effects, soliton propagation and polarization conservation. - New applications of fibers, to measurements of rotation pressure, temperature etc ... and medical uses. - Advanced and exploratory work on single-mode fiber communica­ tion systems including the use of coherent transmission schemes and optical amplification. - Recent developments of optical information treatment based on four-wave mixing. - Integrated optical devices and technologies including bistable devices, parametric oscillators, and optical logic. In addition to these major topics, a number of national reviews and specialized seminars treating new guided wave structures and materials are included. The co-editors admit being rather pleased with the result.