Theoretical Optics - An Introduction

Filling the gap between optics textbooks for students and scientific literature in optics, this revised and enlarged second edition provides a solid yet concise introduction to the topic. Starting from basic electrodynamics, it comprises nonlinear optics and light-matter interaction, as well as modern topics in quantum optics, including entanglement, cryptography, and quantum computation. With over thirty years of experience in research and teaching theoretical optics, the author goes way beyond the scope of traditional lectures, enabling readers to keep up with the current state of knowledge. Both in terms of content and presentation, this is essential reading for graduate and PhD students and a valuable reference for researchers.

Hartmann Romer received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Bonn in 1970, where he also completed his habilitation. He held Postdoc positions at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and at CERN in Geneva. In 1979, Professor Romer was appointed to a full professor for theoretical physics at the University of Freiburg, where he still teaches. His research interests include particle theory and quantum field theory, in particular geometrical and topological methods, symplectic geometry, quantization theory, classical limit and short wave asymptotics.

"It is the modern mathematical approach to so many classical subjects which makes this book outstanding and unique [...] ...for more experienced and mathematically interested readers, the book is highly recommended."
Mathematical Reviews (on first edition)

1. A short survey of the history of optics
2. The electrodynamics of continuous media
3. Linear waves in homogeneous media
4. Crystal optics
5. Electro-, magneto-, and elastooptical phenomena
6. Foundations of nonlinear optics
7. Short-wave asymptotics
8. Geometrical optics
9. Geometric theory of caustics
10. Diffraction theory
11. Holography
12. Coherence theory
13. Quantum states of the electromagnetic field
14. Detection of radiation fields
15. Interaction of radiation and matter
16. Quantum optics and fundamental quantum theory