1. Introduction 2. Wave Nature of Light 3. Particle Nature of Light 4. Radiative Transitions and Emission Linewidth 5. Energy Levels and Radiative Properties of Molecules, Liquids, and Solids 6. Radiation and Thermal Equilibrium 7. Conditions for Producing a Laser - 8. Laser Oscillation Above Threshold 9. Requirements for Obtaining Population Inversions 10. Laser Pumping Requirements and Techniques 11. Laser Cavity Modes 12. Stable Laser Resonators and Gaussian Beams 13. Special Laser Cavities and Cavity Effects 14. Laser Systems Involving Low-Density Gain Media 15. Laser Systems Involving High-Density Gain Media 16. Frequency Multiplication of Lasers and Other Nonlinear Optical Effects

The clear explanations, worked examples, and many homework problems make this book eminently suitable for undergraduate and first-year graduate students in science and engineering who are taking courses on lasers. The summaries of key types of lasers, the use of many unique theoretical descriptions, and the chapter-by-chapter bibliography make this an invaluable reference work for researchers as well