Abstract

This chapter will deal with the design, manufacture and handling of the components of optical systems used for manipulating laser radiation. Attention will focus on those aspects which are specific to laser-based optics. These occur mainly in two quite unrelated fields: (i) the propagation of laser beams due to spatial coherence; and (ii) the thermal aspects of laser optics caused by the (often) high power of laser beams. Commonalities and analogies between classical and laser-based optics, which are plentiful, will be addressed if needed for completeness or clarity.