This textbook is a comprehensive review of many different areas in solar-pumped lasers design and characterization. It enables readers to develop their skills in general solid-state laser design and solar collector design and provides numerous solved exercises at the end of each chapter to further this development.

This book begins by introducing the brief history of solar-pumped laser and its potential applications. It explains the basic theories of imaging and non-imaging primary, secondary, and tertiary solar concentrators. It discusses solar-pumped solid-state laser theory and solar-to-laser power conversion efficiencies. There are chapters dedicated to ZEMAX and LASCAD numerical simulation tools, to help develop readers' skills in innovative solid-state laser design.

This book is one of the first books to relate concentrated solar energy technologies to solid-state laser technologies and is therefore of interest to students, academics, engineers, and laser and optical system designers.

Autorentext

Dr. Dawei Liang is an Associate Professor of the Physics Department of New University of Lisbon.

He obtained B.S. and MSc. degrees from Tianjin University in 1984 and 1986 respectively.

He obtained his Ph.D. degree in Optoelectronics from Chongqing University in 1991. He obtained an equivalent Ph.D. degree in Optoelectronics and Microelectronics from New University of Lisbon in 1995. He has more than 130 publications. He was awarded outstanding reviewer status by Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells and Optics & Laser Technology. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Photonics for Energy. He also serves as Guest Editor of Energies. Several world records in solar-to-laser conversion efficiency and beam brightness were established by his solar laser team. Some of his researches on solar lasers were highlighted by Editors of CSP Today, Spotlights on Optics in 2012, Laser Physics in 2013, Laser Focus World in 2013, 2016 and 2022, Journal of Photonics for Energy during 2020-2022 and SPIE News in 2022. He was among the "World's Top 2% Scientists list" by Stanford University in 2021.

Dr. Joana Almeida holds a FCT junior researcher position on solar-pumped lasers. She obtained BSc. and MSc. degrees in Biomedical Engineering from New University of Lisbon. She obtained her Ph.D. degree in Physics Engineering from New University of Lisbon in 2017. She has 68 publications and acted as a reviewer for 15 journals like Optics Letters, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, and Renewable Energy. She is now serving as Guest Editor of Energies. Some of her contributions on solar laser research were highlighted by Editors of CSP Today, Spotlights on Optics in 2012, Laser Focus World in 2013, 2016 and 2022. Three of her first author publications were featured by both Laser Physics and Journal of Photonics for Energy.

Dr. Cláudia R. Vistas is a postdoctoral researcher on solar-pumped lasers in New University of Lisbon. She obtained her Ph.D. degree under the MIT-Portugal program in Bioengineering Systems from University of Lisbon in 2012. She graduated in Biotechnological Engineering from University of Algarve in 2007. She has more than 60 publications, some of which were highlighted by Laser Focus World in 2016 and 2022, and Journal of Photonics for Energy during 2020-2022. She was a reviewer for more than 10 journals, and also serves as Guest Editor of Energies.

Dr. Bruno D. Tibúrcio obtained his Ph.D. degree in Physics Engineering from New University of Lisbon in 2022. He has participated in two optical research projects of both Telecommunications Institute of University of Aveiro and University of Algarve. He has also collaborated at CBE, a technological company of optical fiber communications in Lisbon. He has more than 40 publications, some of which were highlighted by Laser Focus World in 2022 and Journal of Photonics for Energy during 2019-2022. He has served as a reviewer for more than 10 journals.

MSc. Dario Garcia is concluding his Ph.D. research on solar-pumped lasers in New University of Lisbon. He obtained his Master degree in Physics Engineering from the New University of Lisbon in 2013. He has more than 36 publications. He has served as a reviewer for 5 journals. His co-authored article was featured by Laser Focus World in 2022.