Book excerpt: 'Advances in Optics: Reviews' Book Series is a comprehensive study of the field of optics, which provides readers with the most up-to-date coverage of optics, photonics and lasers with a good balance of practical and theoretical aspects. Directed towards both physicists and engineers this Book Series is also suitable for audiences focusing on applications of optics. The Vol.3 is devoted to various topics of applied optics and contains 17 chapters written by 49 experts in the field from 14 countries: Australia, China, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Poland, Taiwan, UK, USA, Vietnam A clear comprehensive presentation makes these books work well as both a teaching resources and a reference books. The book is intended for researchers and scientists in physics and optics, in academia and industry, as well as postgraduate students.