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Laser Wakefield Electron Acceleration
by Karl SchmidThis thesis covers the few-cycle laser-driven acceleration of electrons in a laser-generated plasma. This process, known as laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA), relies on strongly driven plasma waves for the generation of accelerating gradients in the vicinity of several 100 GV/m, a value four orders of magnitude larger than that attainable by conventional accelerators. This thesis demonstrates that laser pulses with an ultrashort duration of 8 fs and a peak power of 6 TW allow the production of electron energies up to 50 MeV via LWFA. The special properties of laser accelerated electron pulses, namely the ultrashort pulse duration, the high brilliance, and the high charge density, open up new possibilities in many applications of these electron beams.
Laser Welding of Plastics: Materials, Processes and Industrial Applications
by Rolf KleinThis is the first detailed description in English of radiation and polymeric material interaction and the influences of thermal and optical material properties. As such, it provides comprehensive information on material and process characteristics as well as applications regarding plastic laser welding. The first part of this practical book introduces the structure and physical properties of plastics, before discussing the interaction of material and radiation in the NIR and IR spectral range. This is followed by an overview of the physical foundations of laser radiation and laser sources used for plastic welding. The third part describes the main processes of laser welding thermoplastics, as well as possibilities of process control, design of joint geometry, material compatibilities and adaptation of absorption of plastics to NIR radiation. Finally, the author explains applications of laser welding plastics using several industrial case studies from the automotive industry, household goods, and medical devices. Tailored to the needs of everyone dealing with laser welding of plastics, especially engineers in packaging, component manufacturing, and the medical industry.
Lasers: Basics, Advances and Applications (Springer Series in Optical Sciences #220)
by Hans Joachim Eichler Jürgen Eichler Oliver LuxThis book provides a comprehensive overview of laser sources and their applications in various fields of science, industry, and technology. After an introduction to the basics of laser physics, different laser types and materials for lasers are summarized in the context of a historical survey, outlining the evolution of the laser over the past five decades. This includes, amongst other aspects, gas lasers, excimer lasers, the wide range of solid-state and semiconductor lasers, and femtosecond and other pulsed lasers where particular attention is paid to high-power sources. Subsequent chapters address related topics such as laser modulation and nonlinear frequency conversion. In closing, the enormous importance of the laser is demonstrated by highlighting its current applications in everyday life and its potential for future developments. Typical applications in advanced material processing, medicine and biophotonics as well as plasma and X-ray generation for nanoscale lithography are discussed. The book provides broad and topical coverage of laser photonics and opto-electronics, focusing on significant findings and recent advances rather than in-depth theoretical studies. Thus, it is intended not only for university students and engineers, but also for scientists and professionals applying lasers in biomedicine, material processing and everyday consumer products. Further, it represents essential reading for engineers using or developing high-power lasers for scientific or industrial applications.
Lasers
by Ajoy Ghatak K. ThyagarajanEver since their invention in 1960, lasers have assumed tremendous importance in the fields of science, engineering and technology because of their use both in basic research and in various technological applications. Lasers: Theory and Applications 2nd Edition will provide a coherent presentation of the basic physics behind the working of the laser along with some of their most important applications. Numerical examples are scattered throughout the book for helping the student gain a better appreciation of the concepts and problems at the end of each chapter and provides the student a better understanding of the basics and help in applying the concepts to practical situations. This book serves as a text in a course on lasers and their applications for students majoring in various disciplines such as Physics, Chemistry and Electrical Engineering.
Lasers and Electro-optics
by Christopher C. DavisThis comprehensive textbook provides a detailed introduction to the basic physics and engineering aspects of lasers, as well as to the design and operational principles of a wide range of optical systems and electro-optic devices. Throughout, full details of important derivations and results are given, as are many practical examples of the design, construction and performance characteristics of different types of lasers and electro-optic devices. Covering a broad range of topics in modern optical physics and engineering, this book will be invaluable to those taking undergraduate courses in laser physics, optoelectronics, photonics and optical engineering. It will also act as a useful reference for graduate students and researchers in these fields.
Lasers and Optoelectronics
by MainiWith emphasis on the physical and engineering principles, this book provides a comprehensive and highly accessible treatment of modern lasers and optoelectronics. Divided into four parts, it explains laser fundamentals, types of lasers, laser electronics & optoelectronics, and laser applications, covering each of the topics in their entirety, from basic fundamentals to advanced concepts.Key features include:exploration of technological and application-related aspects of lasers and optoelectronics, detailing both existing and emerging applications in industry, medical diagnostics and therapeutics, scientific studies and Defence.simple explanation of the concepts and essential information on electronics and circuitry related to laser systemsillustration of numerous solved and unsolved problems, practical examples, chapter summaries, self-evaluation exercises, and a comprehensive list of references for further readingThis volume is a valuable design guide for R&D engineers and scientists engaged in design and development of lasers and optoelectronics systems, and technicians in their operation and maintenance. The tutorial approach serves as a useful reference for under-graduate and graduate students of lasers and optoelectronics, also PhD students in electronics, optoelectronics and physics.
Lasers Based Manufacturing
by Shrikrishna N. Joshi Uday Shanker DixitThis book presents selected research papers of the AIMTDR 2014 conference on application of laser technology for various manufacturing processes such as cutting, forming, welding, sintering, cladding and micro-machining. State-of-the-art of these technologies in terms of numerical modeling, experimental studies and industrial case studies are presented. This book will enrich the knowledge of budding technocrats, graduate students of mechanical and manufacturing engineering, and researchers working in this area.
Lasers, Death Rays, and the Long, Strange Quest for the Ultimate Weapon
by Jeff HechtThe whole story of laser weapons with a focus on its many interesting characters and sometimes bizarre schemesThe laser--a milestone invention of the mid-twentieth century--quickly captured the imagination of the Pentagon as the key to the ultimate weapon. Veteran science writer Jeff Hecht tells the inside story of the adventures and misadventures of scientists and military strategists as they exerted Herculean though often futile efforts to adapt the laser for military uses. From the 1950s' sci-fi vision of the "death ray," through the Reagan administration's "Star Wars" missile defense system, to more promising developments today, Hecht provides an entertaining history. As the author illustrates, there has always been a great deal of enthusiasm and false starts surrounding lasers. He describes a giant laser that filled a Boeing 747, lasers powered like rocket engines, plans for an orbiting fleet of robotic laser battle stations to destroy nuclear missiles, claims that nuclear bombs could produce intense X-ray laser beams, and a scheme to bounce laser beams off giant orbiting relay mirrors. Those far-out ideas remain science fiction. Meanwhile, in civilian sectors, the laser is already being successfully used in fiber optic cables, scanners, medical devices, and industrial cutting tools. Now those laser cutting tools are leading to a new generation of laser weapons that just might stop insurgent rockets. Replete with interesting characters, bizarre schemes, and wonderful inventions, this is a well-told tale about the evolution of technology and the reaches of human ambition.
Lasers in Dentistry—Current Concepts (Textbooks in Contemporary Dentistry)
by Steven P.A. Parker Donald J. ColuzziThis book provides information on the basic science and tissue interactions of dental lasers and documents the principal current clinical uses of lasers in every dental discipline. The applications of lasers in restorative dentistry, endodontics, dental implantology, pediatric dentistry, periodontal therapy, and soft tissue surgery are clearly described and illustrated. Information is also provided on laser-assisted multi-tissue management, covering procedures such as crown lengthening, gingival troughing, gingival recontouring, and depigmentation. The closing chapters look forward to the future of lasers in dentistry and the scope for their widespread use in everyday clinical practice.When used in addition to or instead of conventional instrumentation, lasers offer many unique patient benefits. Furthermore, research studies continue to reveal further potential clinical applications, and new laser wavelengths are being explored, developed, and delivered with highly specific power configurations to optimize laser–tissue interaction. This book will bring the reader up to date with the latest advances and will appeal to all with an interest in the application of lasers to the oral soft and/or hard tissues.
Lasers in Materials Science
by Marta Castillejo Paolo M. Ossi Leonid ZhigileiThis book covers various aspects of lasers in materials science, including a comprehensive overview on basic principles of laser-materials interactions and applications enabled by pulsed laser systems. The material is organized in a coherent way, providing the reader with a harmonic architecture. While systematically covering the major current and emerging areas of lasers processing applications, the Volume provides examples of targeted modification of material properties achieved through careful control of the processing conditions and laser irradiation parameters. Special emphasis is placed on specific strategies aimed at nanoscale control of material structure and properties to match the stringent requirements of modern applications. Laser fabrication of novel nanomaterials, which expands to the domains of photonics, photovoltaics, sensing, and biomedical applications, is also discussed in the Volume. This book assembles chapters based on lectures delivered at the Venice International School on Lasers in Materials Science which was held in Isola di San Servolo, Venice, Italy, in July, 2012.
Lasers in Medicine
by Ronald W. WaynantThe use of lasers in medical practice has dramatically increased over the years. Lasers and modern optics have largely been unexplored in medical science. This contributed work is both optimistic and cautionary in its expert evaluation of the state-of-the-art medical use of laser technology. The use of lasers to improve upon conventional practice i
Lasers in Polymer Science and Technolgy: Applications, Volume IV
by Jan F. Rabek Jean-Pierre FouassierThe purpose of this 4-volume set is to examine some of the applications of lasers in polymer science and technology. Now available for the first time, up-to-date information on this fascinating subject is compiled and presented in compact form. This set focuses on current research and developments in the application of lasers in polymer and biopolymer chemistry. It includes experimental and theoretical details, apparatus, techniques, and applications. This set is a useful source for researchers, students, polymer chemists, and physicists involved in this astonishing field of high technology.
Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks: Proceedings of the International Conference Lacona VII, Madrid, Spain, 17 - 21 September 2007
by Marta Castillejo Pablo Moreno Mohamed Oujja Roxana Radvan Javier RuizLaser systems and advanced optical techniques offer new solutions for conservation scientists, and provide answers to challenges in Conservation Science. Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks comprises selected contributions from the 7th International Conference on Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks (LACONA VII, Madrid, Spain, 17-21 September
Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks VIII
by Roxana Radvan John F. Asmus Marta Castillejo Paraskevi Pouli Austin NevinLaser techniques offer possibilities for the examination and conservation of artwork, and for the prevention of cultural heritage. This collection of peer reviewed papers from the 8th International Conference on Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks, Sibiu, Romania, September 21-25, 2009, addresses various aspects of cultural heritage preservation
Lasers-Induced Plasmas and Applications
by Leon J. RadziemskiThis book discusses the physics of plasma initiation and reviews the features of dissipating, propagating plasmas. It deals with advances in diagnostics for high-energy, laser-fusion plasmas. The book reviews the basic physical processes, plasma characteristics of the "continuous optical discharge".
Lasers with Nuclear Pumping
by S. P. Melnikov A. A. Sinyanskii A. N. Sizov George H. MileyThis book covers the history of lasers with nuclear pumping (Nuclear Pumped Lasers, NPLs). This book showcases the most important results and stages of NPL development in The Russian Federal Nuclear Center (VNIIEF) as well as other Russian and international laboratories, including laboratories in the United States. The basic science and technology behind NPLs along with potential applications are covered throughout the book. As the first comprehensive discussion of NPLs, students, researchers, and application engineers interested in high energy lasers will find this book to be an extremely valuable source of information about these unique lasers.
Lash-Up
by Larry BondNew York Times bestselling author Larry Bond thrills again in Lash-Up, an explosive new novel. In a bid to dominate Asia and the western Pacific, China provokes a military crisis with the United States and then starts shooting down GPS satellites. America has only a short amount of time to devise some way of protecting its remaining satellites or China will gain an enormous advantage in the coming conflict. The only way the satellites can be protected is from orbit, so an armed spacecraft must be quickly designed, built, and launched to fight on this new battlefield.A team of soldier-scientists must construct a craft capable of knocking space weapons out of the sky. The fate of the United States rests on the shoulders of these determined people.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Last American Hero: The Remarkable Life of John Glenn
by Alice L. GeorgeOn February 20, 1962, John Glenn became a national star. That morning at Cape Canaveral, a small-town boy from Ohio took his place atop a rocket and soared into orbit to score a victory in the heavily contested Cold War. The television images were blurry black-and-white phantoms. The cameras shook as the rocket moved, but by the end of the day, one thing was clear: a new hero rode that rocket and became the center of the world's attention for the four hours and fifty-five minutes of his flight. He became celebrated in all corners of the world as not just the first American to orbit the Earth, but as the first space traveler to take the human race with him. From that day forward, Glenn restively wore the hero label. Wherever he went, people knew his name and what he had done. Refusing to let that dramatic day define his life, he went on to become a four-term US senator—and returned to space at the age of seventy-seven. The Last American Hero examines the many layers that formed the man and unravels the reasons for his singular role. He was a creation of the media, in some ways, but he was also a product of the Cold War. Not even Glenn himself seemed to fully understand his celebrity. He was a war hero, a two-time astronaut, a veteran senator, a devoted husband, a father, and much more. At a time when increasingly cynical Americans need heroes, his aura burns brightly in American memory.
The Last Beautiful Girl
by Nina LaurinFans of Black Mirror and There's Someone Inside Your House will devour this disturbing story about a dark descent into social media fame. Izzy is determined to use her family's new mansion, and the treasures inside, to outshine everyone in her new town, even when it's clear that something—or someone—in the house has deadly intentions...When Isabella Brixton is forced to move from New York City to a tiny town, she's not thrilled. The silver lining is the gorgeous old mansion she now calls home. As the former residence of a glamorous patron of the arts and muse who died many decades ago, the house has its quirks: whole floors are boarded up, old paintings are covered, and cell reception is nonexistent.Isa is ready to hate her new life, but things turn around when her classmate Alexa, a skilled photographer, suggests they start an Instagram account featuring portraits of Isa inside the mansion. Wearing gowns and jewelry hidden away in the house, Isa looks perfect in the unfiltered photos—almost unnaturally so—and they quickly go viral. Soon she's got a new best friend, a potential boyfriend, and is surrounded by a group of girls who want the photoshoots and fame for themselves. But there's a darkness in the house, and a darkness growing in Isa, too. When girls start getting hurt, it's clear that something—or someone—in the house is growing in power, with deadly intentions.
The Last Book You'll Ever Read and Other Lessons from the Future
by Frank Ogden"The only constant is change. Learn to love it. As the rate of change accelerates, the result will appear chaotic to the uninitiated. But there is elegant order in chaos. Few so far have learned to recognize and profit from it. This is where the future lies."<P> From his houseboat moored in Vancouver harbor — a floating electronic cottage — Frank Ogden monitors the world by computer phone link and satellite dish. His boundless curiosity, his gift for extrapolation, and his ability to synthesize information have made him one of the world's foremost futurists.<P> A consultant to corporations, professional organizations, and government agencies, he is in constant demand as a catalyst of change, stimulating his clients to think creatively about the future and their place in it.<P> Ogden has led a life of profitable nonconformity. Born in Toronto, he was educated in Canada and the United States before serving as a flight engineer in the Second World War. He has since done everything from selling airplanes to joining a team of therapists researching LSD at Hollywood Hospital. He helped establish Canada's first think-tank, was a founding member of the World Future Society in Canada, and in 1989 was elected a Fellow of the Explorers Club in New York.<P> Today Frank Ogden travels the world tirelessly, fascinated as ever by the process of change, seeking out the latest trends, and thinking about where they're leading us. How will the technological revolution affect the way we live? What will the Information Age ultimately mean for the "knows" and the "know-nots"? Is the next millennium to be feared or embraced?<P> Draw from his popular seminars and syndicated "Dr. Tomorrow" newspaper column, The Last Book You'll Ever Read is a sampling of the provocative insights and useful predictions that have made Frank Ogden, in the words of the Los Angeles Times, "possibly the world's most up-to-date futurist."
Last Days of the Concorde: The Crash of Flight 4590 and the End of Supersonic Passenger Travel (Air Disasters #3)
by Samme ChittumThe gripping true tale of a devastating plane crash, the investigation into its causes, and the race to prevent similar disasters in the future.On July 25, 2000, a Concorde, the world's fastest passenger plane, was taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris when it suddenly burst into flames. An airliner capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, the Concorde had completed 25 years of successful flights, whisking wealthy passengers--from diplomats to rock stars to corporate titans--between continents on brief and glamorous flights. Yet on this fateful day, the chartered Concorde jet, en route to America, crashed and killed all 109 passengers and crew onboard and four people on the ground. Urgent questions immediately arose as investigators scrambled to discover what had gone wrong. What caused the fire? Could it have been prevented? And, most urgently, was the Concorde safe to fly? Last Days of the Concorde addresses these issues and many more, offering a fascinating insider's look at the dramatic disaster, the hunt for clues, and the systemic overhauls that followed the crash.
The Last Exit: A Jen Lu Mystery (A Jen Lu Mystery)
by Michael KaufmanPerfect for fans of Ben Winters and Cory Doctorow. In this thrilling near-future novel, the secret to eternal life is closely guarded by people who will do anything to protect it--even if it means destroying everything in their path. Set in Washington D.C. in the near future, climate change has hit hard, fires are burning, unemployment is high, and controversial longevity treatments are only available to the very rich. Enter resourceful young police detective, Jen B. Lu, and her 'partner', Chandler, a SIM implant in her brain and her instant link to the Internet and police records, and constant voice inside her head. He's an inquisitive tough guy, with a helluva sense of humor and his own ideas about solving crimes.As a detective in the Elder Abuse unit, Jen is supposed to be investigating kids pushing their aging parents to "exit" so they are eligible to get the longevity drug. But what really has her attention are the persistent rumors about Eden, an illegal version of the longevity drug, and the bizarre outbreak of people aging almost overnight, then suddenly dying--is this all connected? Is Big Pharma involved?When Jen's investigations of Eden take her too close to the truth, she is suspended, Chandler is deactivated, and her boyfriend is freaked out by "the thing inside her brain." This leaves Jen to pursue a very dangerous investigation all by herself.
The Last Hostage: The Last Hostage And Blackout (The Kat Bronsky Thrillers #1)
by John J. NanceAn FBI hostage negotiator confronts a commercial pilot who has hijacked his own plane in this spellbinding thriller from New York Times–bestselling author John J. Nance Airline pilot Ken Wolfe does not rattle easily. But when he learns that Rudolph Bostich is on his flight, his face goes pale. Bostich, the presumptive nominee for US Attorney General, bungled the case against the man who kidnapped and killed Wolfe&’s daughter. The pilot is prepared to do whatever it takes to get revenge—even setting off a bomb on a plane full of passengers. FBI agent, psychologist, and rookie hostage negotiator Kat Bronsky now has one hundred and thirty lives riding on her every word. As Bronsky speaks with the volatile Wolfe, she realizes she must solve the mystery of an eleven-year-old girl&’s murder—in a matter of hours—to avert disaster.
The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World
by Allison J. PughA timely and urgent argument for preserving the work that connects us in the age of automationWith the rapid development of artificial intelligence and labor-saving technologies like self-checkouts and automated factories, the future of work has never been more uncertain, and even jobs requiring high levels of human interaction are no longer safe. The Last Human Job explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other in these settings is valuable and worth preserving.Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Allison Pugh develops the concept of &“connective labor,&” a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other&’s humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works.Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world.
The Last Hunger Season
by Roger ThurowAt 4:00 am, Leonida Wanyama lit a lantern in her house made of sticks and mud. She was up long before the sun to begin her farm work, as usual. But this would be no ordinary day, this second Friday of the new year. This was the day Leonida and a group of smallholder farmers in western Kenya would begin their exodus, as she said, “from misery to Canaan,” the land of milk and honey. Africa’s smallholder farmers, most of whom are women, know misery. They toil in a time warp, living and working essentially as their forebears did a century ago. With tired seeds, meager soil nutrition, primitive storage facilities, wretched roads, and no capital or credit, they harvest less than one-quarter the yields of Western farmers. The romantic ideal of African farmers––rural villagers in touch with nature, tending bucolic fields––is in reality a horror scene of malnourished children, backbreaking manual work, and profound hopelessness. Growing food is their driving preoccupation, and still they don’t have enough to feed their families throughout the year. Thewanjala––the annual hunger season that can stretch from one month to as many as eight or nine––abides. But in January 2011, Leonida and her neighbors came together and took the enormous risk of trying to change their lives. Award-winning author and world hunger activist Roger Thurow spent a year with four of them––Leonida Wanyama, Rasoa Wasike, Francis Mamati, and Zipporah Biketi––to intimately chronicle their efforts. InThe Last Hunger Season,he illuminates the profound challenges these farmers and their families face, and follows them through the seasons to see whether, with a little bit of help from a new social enterprise organization called One Acre Fund, they might transcend lives of dire poverty and hunger. The daily dramas of the farmers’ lives unfold against the backdrop of a looming global challenge: to feed a growing population, world food production must nearly double by 2050. If these farmers succeed, so might we all.