"This book describes those areas of thermodynamics which prove conductive to equilibrium and non-equilibrium heating theories in addition to yielding results that serve as data for further theories"--

CO2 Lasers: Effects and Applications examines and summarizes the important applications of the device in different areas of study like physics, chemistry, and engineering. In some parts of the book, the reader is assumed to be knowledgeable in university level mathematics or some specialized area in physics or chemistry. The book consists of 10 chapters where the first two establish the general concepts on lasers and CO2 lasers, respectively. Chapter 3 takes the reader further and presents a comprehensive review of optical components for use such as detectors, windows, and mirrors. Because the CO2 laser is mostly used as a heat source, the theory of laser-surface heating is relevant in the discussion. This theory is presented in Chapter 4. Chapters 5 and 6 meanwhile present a summary of observations on cutting, welding, and some related topics. The following chapters discuss the different applications of CO2 lasers in different areas and processes. Some of these applications include in the generation of thermal effect, laser deposition of thin films, spectroscopy, laser photochemistry, and meteorology and communication systems. The text is a good source of reference to both students and scientists in the areas of physics, chemistry, and engineering.

Modern manufacturing industry is focusing its interests on the potential offered by the laser, in combination with other new technologies such as optical fibres, automation, computing and flexible manufacturing systems, to give new and powerful methods for non-destructive testing, in-process quality assurance, laser material processing and process control, and laser robotics. The greatest opportunities for the laser are in those areas where flexibility, automation, CAD/CAM integration, precision, cost reduction, and time to market are important factors. The examples covered here are mainly drawn from the automotive industry, where all these factors are imperative, and where the CO2, Nd-YAG and excimer laser sources are already making their contribution to the manufacturing process.

Industrial Applications of Lasers focuses on how lasers have been used for practical applications in industry. This text aims to stimulate the imagination of the readers, who can then evaluate the potential application of lasers to solve their own problems. Comprised of 21 chapters, this book starts with an overview of the fundamental background of lasers, and then discusses the basic principles of how lasers operate. Other chapters provide an understanding of how holograms really work. This text also discusses several topics relevant to lasers, themselves, including the types of practical lasers and laser properties. This book considers laser safety, which is very important for anyone considering a laser application. Finally, this text explores the various developed laser applications, including scribing of ceramics, laser welding and cutting of metals, as well as applications in surveying, alignment, and metrology. This book is a valuable resource to laser technicians, physicists, scientists, researchers, and readers whose interests span a variety of fields.

Infrared Thermography (IRT) is commonly as a NDE tool to identify damages and provide remedial action. The fields of application are vast, such as, materials science, life sciences and applied engineering. This book offers a collection of ten chapters with three major sections - relating to application of infrared thermography to study problems in materials science, agriculture, veterinary and sports fields as well as in engineering applications. Both mathematical modeling and experimental aspects of IRT are evenly discussed in this book. It is our sincere hope that the book meets the requirements of researchers in the domain and inspires more researchers to study IRT.

Ob zur Oberflachenanalytik oder zur Oberflachenbearbeitung - die Einsatzgebiete von Lasern in der Materialwissenschaft werden standig erweitert. Dabei ablaufende Prozesse beschranken sich gelegentlich auf einfaches Erwarmen und Schmelzen, haufig finden jedoch kompliziertere Vorgange wie die Bildung von Plasma oder kollektive Anregungen statt. Verschiedenste Techniken, die zugehorigen physikalischen Grundlagen und alle wichtigen Prozesse beschreibt dieses Buch, wobei auch neueste Themen wie ultrakurze Laserpulse oder die nichtlineare Oberflachenspektroskpoie zur Sprache kommen. (05/99)