Written by internationally recognized experts, the high quality of the articles provides dependable information on topics of current interest in industrial and academic research as well as background knowledge. Covering both theoretical and applied optics, each article has not only a list of references cited in the text but also a guide to further reading. Each article also concludes with a glossary containing the technical terms necessary for the topic under consideration. Throughout, the subject matter is treated in a tutorial, user-friendly way rather than as a pure reference and is supplemented by references cited in the text and a listing of important reviews and books.