Accessible, illustrated introduction covers wave patterns and coherence, summarizes the development of lasers and the phenomenon of wave diffraction, and describes zone plates and properties of holograms. Additional topics include viewing holograms, hologram computer memories, liquid surface holography, synthetic radar and sonar, fiber optics, and more. 1981 edition.

Table of Contents for Lasers and Holography

Chapter 1. Holograms as Wave Patterns
Properties of waves.
Wave uniformity
Interference.
Making a hologram.
A photographic grating.
A photographic zone plate.
The complete hologram process.
The hologram of a scene.
Chapter 2. Coherence
Frequency coherence.
Frequency stability.
Spatial coherence.
Coherent waves from small sources.
A microwave hologram.
A real acoustic image.
The extremely short wavelengths of light.
Chapter 3. Lasers
The first laser.
A water wave analogy.
The two-step process.
Energy conservation with reflectors.
Reflectors and spatial coherence.
Energy concentration.
Q-spoiling.
Gas lasers.
Reflectors and resonators.
The natural line width.
Coherence length.
Semiconductor lasers.
Chapter 4. Wave Diffraction
Diffraction by a slit.
The near field.
Diffraction by two slits.
Diffraction by multiple slits.
Multiple slit gratings and photographic gratings.
Refraction by prisms.
A prism grating.
A double-prism grating.
Volume effects.
Dependence of diffraction on wavelength.
Diffraction by a knife edge.
Diffraction by a disk.
Disks and zone plates.
Chapter 5. Zone Plates
The classical zone plate.
Zone plates as negative lenses.
Zone plates with areas interchanged.
Offset zone plates.
Offset holograms.
Zone plates as lenses.
Volume zone plates.
Standing wave patterns.
Lattice reflectors.
Reflection zone plates.
Chapter 6. Properties of Holograms
Three-dimensional realism.
Holograms and photographs.
Parallax and lens action.
A stereo hologram.
Focused-image holography.
Reconstruction with a small portion of a hologram.
Pseudoscopy in the real image of a hologram.
Image inversion.
Single wavelength nature of holograms.
Requirements of film properties.
Information content.
Holograms and coherent radar.
Acoustic holograms.
Chapter 7. Recent Developments
Viewing holograms.
The Museum of Holography.
"White light or "rainbow" holograms."
Hologram computer memo
Liquid surface holography.
Synthetic-aperture radar and sonar.
New lasers.
Wires of glass.
Lasers in the military.
Epilogue
Suggested Reading
Index

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