Page 13 - Modern Optical Engineering The Design of Optical Systems

Preface

Welcome to the fourth edition of Modern Optical Engineering, known
fondly to many by its acronym, MOE. Many of the revisions from the
third edition should be quite apparent—it is a bigger book, with reor-
ganized content and six more chapters. There are dozens of smaller
changes and additions which are embedded in the new MOE—too many
to list here.
MOE now has 21 chapters, two appendices, and a glossary, com-
pared with 15 chapters in the third edition, and 14 chapters in the first
and second editions. MOE has grown steadily over the years, begin-
ning with 476 pages in the first edition, then 524 in the second, 617
in the third edition, and now 768 pages in this one. The earlier editions
of MOE competently filled a niche in the field, and I hope this edition
will do the same. The preface to the first edition began with this
paragraph:
This book is dedicated to the practicing engineer or scientist who
requires effective practical technical information on optical systems and
their design. The recent increase in the utilization of optical devices in
such fields as alignment, metrology, automation, and space/defense
applications has brought about a need for technical people conversant
with the optical field. Thus, many individuals whose basic training is
in electronics, mechanics, physics, or mathematics, find themselves in
positions requiring a relatively advanced competence in optical engi-
neering. It is the author’s hope that this volume will enable them to
undertake their practice of optics soundly and with confidence.
Over the years the number of people practicing optics has increased
many-fold, and the field of optical engineering has broadened to
include many new, unforeseen applications as well, but the need cited
above continues. The wide acceptance of MOE as a “must have” book
has been gratifying, and I hope that this new edition will be equally
well received.

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