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Editor's Comments
This book provides a comprehensive review of current high-power fiber laser (HPFL) technology. It is intended as an introduction to this rapidly developing field but can also be used by researchers and technology managers as a handy and comprehensive reference. It contains a broad review ranging from a history of HPFLs to an introduction of the science and engineering required for full HPFL systems, plus the authors' predictions of future applications and research directions. Readers will also find detailed information that will help them to understand and model optical waveguides, fiber amplifiers and lasers, beam combining techniques, beam quality, and free-space beam propagation. This book describes a rapidly developing field of laser technology, and fills the very important role of providing students, researchers, and technology managers with valuable, timely, and unbiased information on the subject.

This second edition contains information on recent research to achieve increased output powers by increasing the power of individual beams and by combining multiple beams. It also features new chapters on fast beam propagation modeling and simulation for optical waveguides and free space.

About the Authors
In the last 40 years R. Andrew Motes has been (in chronological order) a sharecropper, electronic technician, electronic engineer, and theoretical scientist. He received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Arkansas in 1978, M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1979 with a specialty in navigation, guidance and control theory, and Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1987 from the University of New Mexico with a specialty in laser physics and electro-optics. All degrees were earned while serving on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Motes is licensed to practice engineering in multiple states including New Mexico. He has written three books, seven commercial educational software packages, and many scientific journal and magazine articles. He taught astronautical engineering and control theory at the U.S. Air Force Academy; physics and electronic design at John Brown University; and retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserves in 2007 at the rank of colonel. He can be contacted via e-mail at: andymotes@msn.com.

Sami A. Shakir is a senior scientist with Tau Technologies. Before that, he was a technical fellow with Northrop Grumman and later with TASC. Dr. Shakir earned an MSc. and Ph.D., both in optical sciences from the Optical Sciences Center in Tucson, Arizona, in 1978 and 1980, respectively. He has been involved with design, analysis, and experimentation involving high-power gas lasers, semiconductor lasers, solid-state lasers, and fiber lasers. Dr. Shakir's research interests include optical filter design, coherent laser interaction with matter, femto-second laser effects, and fiber laser array phasing and beam control. He has published extensively in these fields and has eight patents to his name.

Richard W. Berdine received a B.S. degree in 1975 from Iowa State University in engineering science, and an M.S. degree in 1981 from the Air Force Institute of Technology in engineering physics. While on active duty in the Air Force, he served as branch chief of the Experimental Resonator Branch and Directed Energy Branch at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory and the Foreign Technology Division, respectively. He also served as assistant professor of physics at the U.S. Air Force Academy, teaching courses in physics, optics, and laboratory methods, and as a technical director at the Field Command Defense Nuclear Agency on several international programs. Berdine is currently a senior physicist at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Please see the Foreword for more details on content of this book.