Photovoltaics, the direct conversion of sunlight to electricity, is now the fastest growing technology for electricity generation. Present "first generation" products use the same silicon wafers as inmicroelectronics. "Second generation" thin-films, now entering the market, have the potential to greatly improve the economics by eliminating material costs. Martin Green, one of the world 's foremost photovoltaic researchers, argues in this book that "second generation" photovoltaics will eventually reach its own material cost constraints, engendering a "third generation" of high performance...

The information revolution of this century was brought about by photonics based on simple and common materials, such as glasses and semiconductors. Although semiconductors will continue to be of central importance in the present century, glasses will also be of great importance in future photonic devices since they have various advantages over other materials in homogene- ity, transparency, easy fabrication and excellent solvent properties. This book focuses on selected topics which are new and of fundamental importance in the applications of active glasses in photonic devices based on our...

The quantum statistical properties of light generated in a semiconductor laser and a light-emitting diode (LED) have been a ?eld of intense research for more than a decade. This research monograph discusses recent research activities in nonclassical light generation based on semiconductor devices, performed mostly at Stanford University. When a semiconductor material is used as the active medium to generate photons, as in semiconductor lasers and LEDs, the ?ow of carriers (electrons andholes)isconvertedintoa?owofphotons. Providedthattheconversionis fast and e?cient, the statistical properties...

The information revolution of this century was brought about by photonics based on simple and common materials, such as glasses and semiconductors. Although semiconductors will continue to be of central importance in the present century, glasses will also be of great importance in future photonic devices since they have various advantages over other materials in homogene- ity, transparency, easy fabrication and excellent solvent properties. This book focuses on selected topics which are new and of fundamental importance in the applications of active glasses in photonic devices based on our...

Recent rapid advances in femtosecond technology have had a great impact on their industrial applications such as: ultrafast optoelectronic devices and optical telecommunication systems, ultrashort-pulse lasers and measurement systems, and the development of novel materials for ultrafast functions. In this book, a wealth of knowledge covering requirements in applications details of recent achievements in important technical areas is presented by world-prominent authors in a concise, systematic form. As a whole, this is the first comprehensive book on the emerging field of femtosecond...