Book excerpt: Applied Optics and Optical Engineering, Volume IX covers the theories and applications of optics and optical engineering. The book discusses the basic algorithms for optical engineering; diffraction gratings, ruled and holographic; and recording and reading of information on optical disks. The text also describes the perfect point spread function; the multiple aperture telescope diffraction images; and the displays and simulators. Ophthalmic optics, as well as the canonical and real-space coordinates used in the theory of image formation are also encompassed. Optical engineers and students taking related courses will find the book invaluable.