Optical Chemical Sensors

The book is the output of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Optical Chemical Sensors and is the 40th Course of the International School of Quantum Electronics. It covers all aspects related to optical chemical sensing by means of optical waveguides, from the fundamentals to the most recent applications.The book also provides a view through the history of the development of these sensors, from the first laboratory prototypes up to the first commercial instrumentations, and contains also the lecture given by Nobel Laureate Charles Townes on the birth of maser and laser, which is considered to be a very important illustration on how new science and new technology develop.Thanks to the high level of the contributors, among the most renowned specialists in their respective fields, and to its high interdisciplinary content, the book is an essential tool not only for any scientist who is working or intends to start working in the field of optical chemical sensing but for anyone who wishes to have a complete overview of the state of the art in the field.