This handbook brings together in a single volume expert contributions on the many aspects of MO data recording, including the materials in use, techniques for achieving recording function, and storage device subsystems. As a multiple author treatment, it brings perspective from many viewpoints and institutions. The insights delivered should be valuable to a wide audience from students to practitioners in all areas of information storage.

The invention of the laser was one of the towering achievements of the twentieth century. At the opening of the twenty-first century we are witnessing the burgeoning of the myriad technical innovations to which that invention has led. The Handbook of Laser Technology and Applications is a practical and long-lasting reference source for scientists and engineers who work with lasers. The Handbook provides, a comprehensive guide to the current status of lasers and laser systems; it is accessible to science or engineering graduates needing no more than standard undergraduate knowledge of optics. Whilst being a self-contained reference work, the Handbook provides extensive references to contemporary work, and is a basis for studying the professional journal literature on the subject. It covers applications through detailed case studies, and is therefore well suited to readers who wish to use it to solve specific problems of their own. The first of the three volumes comprises an introduction to the basic scientific principles of lasers, laser beams and non-linear optics. The second volume describes the mechanisms and operating characteristics of specific types of laser including crystalline solid - state lasers, semiconductor diode lasers, fibre lasers, gas lasers, chemical lasers, dye lasers and many others as well as detailing the optical and electronic components which tailor the laser's performance and beam delivery systems. The third volume is devoted to case studies of applications in a wide range of subjects including materials processing, optical measurement techniques, medicine, telecommunications, data storage, spectroscopy, earth sciences and astronomy, and plasma fusion research. This vast compendium of knowledge on laser science and technology is the work of over 130 international experts, many of whom are recognised as the world leaders in their respective fields. Whether the reader is engaged in the science, technology, industrial or medical applications of lasers or is researching the subject as a manager or investor in technical enterprises they cannot fail to be informed and enlightened by the wide range of information the Handbook supplies.

Reflecting changes in the field in the ten years since the publication of the first edition, The Handbook of Photonics, Second Edition explores recent advances that have affected this technology. In this new, updated second edition editor Mool Gupta is joined by John Ballato, strengthening the handbook with their combined knowledge and the continued contributions of world-class researchers. New in the Second Edition: Information on optical fiber technology and the economic impact of photonics Coverage of emerging technologies in nanotechnology Sections on optical amplifiers, and polymeric optical materials The book covers photonics materials, devices, and systems, respectively. An introductory chapter, new to this edition, provides an overview of photonics technology, innovation, and economic development. Resting firmly on the foundation set by the first edition, this new edition continues to serve as a source for introductory material and a collection of published data for research and training in this field, making it the reference of first resort.

This new edition details the important features of beam shaping and exposes the subtleties of the theory and techniques that are best demonstrated through proven applications. New chapters cover illumination light shaping in optical lithography; optical micro-manipulation of live mammalian cells through trapping, sorting, and transfection; and laser beam shaping through fiber optic beam delivery. The book discusses applications in lithography, laser printing, optical data storage, stable isotope separation, and spatially dispersive lasers. It also provides a history of the field and includes extensive references.

Implementing new architectures and designs for the magnetic recording read channel have been pushed to the limits of modern integrated circuit manufacturing technology. This book reviews advanced coding and signal processing techniques and architectures for magnetic recording systems. Beginning with the basic principles, it examines read/write operations, data organization, head positioning, sensing, timing recovery, data detection, and error correction. It also provides an in-depth treatment of all recording channel subsystems inside a read channel and hard disk drive controller. The final section reviews new trends in coding, particularly emerging codes for recording channels.

This text explains how hard disk drives operate, how billions of bytes of digital information are stored and accessed, and where the technology is going. In particular, the book emphasizes the most fundamental principles of magnetic information storage, including in-depth knowledge of both magnetics and signal processing methods. Magnetic Information Storage Technology contains many graphic illustrations and an introduction of alternative storage technologies, such as optic disk recording, holographic recording, semiconductor flash memory, and magnetic random access memory. - Provides the fundamentals of magnetic information storage and contrasts it with a comparison of alternative storage technologies - Addresses the subject at the materials, device and system levels - Addresses the needs of the multi-billion-dollar-a year magnetic recording and information storage industry - Emphasizes both theoretical and experimental concepts - Condenses current knowledge on magnetic information storage technology into one self-contained volume - Suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as seasoned researchers, engineers and professionals in data and information storage fields