Understanding Fiber Optics, 5th ed.
by Jeff Hecht
NOW AVAILABLE FROM LASER LIGHT PRESS
PDF Edition Available for $9.95 from PAYHIP.COM , Google Books , or the SPIE Digital Library.
Available from Amazon.com in POD paper for $39.00 or in Kindle Print Replica edition for $9.95 PLEASE NOTE BEFORE BUYING: The Kindle Print replica format is essentially a PDF which replicates the full 9.5 x 7.25 inch page format of the printed book, so you will need a screen at least that large to read it comfortably. The largest present Kindle has a 10-inch diagonal screen, too small to fit the full page. Turning a Kindle on its side will make the type larger, but will show only part of the screen. Your best reading experience will be on an app that reads Kindle format on a computer or tablet with a display area of at least 9.5 x 7.25 inches on the screen. See my blog for more details.
Click Here for my Free PDF Fiber-Optic Glossary from the book
Inexpensive versions of 5th edition
Inexpensive electronic PDF and print-on-demand versions of the 5th edition of Understanding Fiber Optics (published in 2006) are now available from at dramatically reduced prices to make the book affordable and broadly accessible to students and interested readers.
These books are produced by digitally scanning the original conventionally printed book, so the print quality is more like a good-quality photocopy than a sharp conventionally printed book cannot equial the original edition. However, the type should be readable and entirely adequate for most purposes. Using this process makes it possible to sell the book at a small fraction of the original price.
If you are not satisfied with the print (or PDF) quality, please contact me at [my_first_name]AT[this domain name] or [my_last_name].[my_first_name]AT gmail. I have reasons to suspect that poor-quality pirated copies may be being sold, and am trying to track down the source.
I recommend the $9.95 PDF version of the full 800-page book as the best value. If you prefer paper, a print-on-demand edition for $39.00 from Amazon.
File translation problems make it impractical to produce a standard e-reader version of the book. Amazon offers a Kindle Print Replica edition for $9.95, but this is not in a standard e-reader format. Instead, it displays a full page of the book as an image that fills the screen. Because the page of the book is larger than the e-reader screen, the type is reduced in size and can be difficult to read. Turning the reader on its side can expand the type, but will not display the whole page. Buyers have complained that the type is hard to read even on a 10-inch tablet. Generally to read on a Don't even think of reading it on your phone. I recommend reading the PDF version on a laptop or desktop computer or a large tablet instead.
I welcome your comments on this edition, and any suggestions for the upcoming sixth edition. Please send your comments and questions to me at [my_first_name]AT[this domain name] or [my_last_name].[my_first_name]AT gmail.
-- Thanks, Jeff Hecht
About Understanding Fiber Optics
Widely used as an introductory textbook,for corporate training, and as a self-study guide, the book is written to give the reader an intuitive understanding of fiber-optic technology and its applications, particularly in communications. Now in its fifth edition, published in 2006. More than 100,000 copies have been sold since the first edition appeared in 1987. Each edition has been a careful revision and expansion of coverage.
It opens with three chapters that introduce the reader to fiber optics as a whole, the optical technology behind fiber optics, and the field of telecommunications. Following chapters explain optical fibers and their properties, specialty fibers, cables, light sources, transmitters, receivers, and other important components. Two chapters cover measurements, testing, and troubleshooting. A series of chapters covers system concepts and standards, system design, and telecommunication systems ranging from the global telecommunications network to your local phone network. The final two chapters cover fiber-optic sensors and imaging bundles. Throughout, I concentrate on explaining concepts rather than deriving equations.
The book includes many line drawings that explain basic concepts and equipment. Each chapter has both a multiple-choice quiz and a series of open-ended "Questions to Think About" for readers to test their knowledge. I also include appendices with tables of useful information, formulas, and references. A glossary explains terms and decrypts acronyms. A 16-page index makes it easy to find subjects inside the book, to make it a good reference as well as a good tutorial and textbook. I fuss about these things so students and teachers won't have to waste their time looking for the missing pieces.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Fiber Optics
2. Fundamentals of Fiber-Optic Components
3. Fundamentals of Communications
4. Types of Optical Fibers
5. Properties of Optical Fibers
6. Fiber Materials, Structure, and Manufacture
7. Specialty Fibers
8. Cabling
9. Light Sources
10. Transmitters
11. Receivers
12. Amplification, Regeneration and Wavelength Conversion
13. Connectors and Splices
14: Couplers and Other Passive Components:
15: Wavelength-Division Multiplexing Optics
16: Optical Switches, Modulators, and Other Active Components
17. Fiber-Optic Measurements
18: Troubleshooting and Test Equipment
19: System and Optical Networking Concepts
20. Fiber System Standards
21: Single-Channel System Design
22: Optical Networking System Design
23: Global Telecommunication Applications
24: Regional and Metro Telecommunications
25: Local Telephone or "Access" Networks
26. Internet Access and Local-Area Networks
27. Video Transmission
28: Mobile Fiber-Optic Communications
29. Fiber-optic Sensors
30. Imaging and Illuminating Fiber Optics
Appendices
A: Important Constants, Units, Conversion Factors, and Equations
B: Decibels and Equivalent Power Ratios
C. Standard Time-Division Multiplexing Rates
D. ITU Frequencies and Wavelengths for L- and C-bands
E. Laser and Fiber Safety
F. Fiber-Optic Resources
Glossary
Index
For instructors:
I can supply an instructor's guide for teachers at educational institutions; please e-mail me at [my first name][AT]jeffhecht.com. Please contact me directly if you are interested in using selected chapters.