Recent developments in organic nonlinear optical materials for application to eye and sensor protection are reviewed. This compendium includes a brief discussion of the functioning of the eye, delineation of some of the important eye protection parameters and an introduction to the origin of nonlinear optical effects and how they are measured. Specific examples of proposed or prototyped protection devices are also presented. A compilation of noteworthy organic third-order nonlinear optical materials is included as an appendix. Lasers are playing an important and increasing role in modern society. Their present uses range from compact disc players to optical data-storage and communication systems. Because of this wide-spread use, the continuing expansion of lasers into other arenas and the low damage thresholds of human eyes and electro-optic sensors, there is increasing concern about eye and sensor protection from laser irradiation.

Photonics concerns the generation, transport, processing and detection of light. It underlies a large amount of industrial activity, mainly devoted to information technology, telecommunications, environmental monitoring, biomedical science and instrumentation. The field has received a powerful impetus recently with the introduction of nanoscale concepts. Moreover, organic materials now appear as key components in photonic devices such as light-emitting diodes, integrated lasers, or photovoltaic cells. Organic molecular systems offer unique opportunities in nanophotonics since both top-down and bottom-up strategies can be pursued towards the nanoscale. This book gathers the proceedings of the NATO advanced research workshop on "Organic Nanophotonics", held in Aix-en-Provence, France, August 25-29, 2002. It constitutes a snapshot of the state of the art in the novel, emerging research area of nanophotonics based on organic molecules and materials.

Laser processing of solid materials has been commonly performed in gas ambient. Having the workpiece immersed into liquid, having a liquid film on it, or soaking the material with liquid gives several advantages such as removal of the debris, lowering the heat load on the workpiece, and confining the vapour and plasma, resulting in higher shock pressure on the surface. Introduced in the 1980s, neutral liquids assisted laser processing (LALP) has proved to be advantageous in the cutting of heat-sensitive materials, shock peening of machine parts, cleaning of surfaces, fabrication of micro-optical components, and for generation of nanoparticles in liquids. The liquids used range from water through organic solvents to cryoliquids. The primary aim of Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing is to present the essentials of previous research (tabulated data of experimental conditions and results), and help researchers develop new processing and diagnostics techniques (presenting data of liquids and a review of physical phenomena associated with LALP). Engineers can use the research results and technological innovation information to plan their materials processing tasks. Laser processing in liquids has been applied to a number of different tasks in various fields such as mechanical engineering, microengineering, chemistry, optics, and bioscience. A comprehensive glossary with definitions of the terms and explanations has been added. The book covers the use of chemically inert liquids under normal conditions. Laser chemical processing examples are presented for comparison only. - First book in this rapidly growing field impacting mechanical and micro/nano-engineering - Covers different kinds of liquid-assisted laser processing of a large variety of materials - Covers lasers emitting from UV to IR with pulse lengths down to femtoseconds - Reviews over 500 scientific articles and 300 inventions and tabulates their main features - Gives a qualitative and quantitative description of the physical phenomena associated with LALP - Tabulates 61 parameters for 100 liquids - Glossary of over 200 terms and abbreviations

A selection of annotated references to unclassified reports and journal articles that were introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system and announced in Scientific and technical aerospace reports (STAR) and International aerospace abstracts (IAA).