ASM Sci. J., Vol. 2, No. 2, 2008

Abstract

In this fourth issue and second volume of the Journal, an attempt is made to introduce the thematic issue of photonics. Theterm describes the ‘combination of light technologies and electronics in telecommunication’ which now can be defined ‘asthe field in science, medicine and technology investigating and using laser light’.ASM Science Journal is mainly a multi-disciplinary one but periodically, adhering to the aims and objectives, a collectionof articles devoted to a single subject area is deemed fit to be published. This is to address current impending issues andthe demands cum needs of the scientific community and society pertaining to a specific area of a scientific discipline. Thenext thematic issue will be on Antarctic research.The Editorial Board is grateful to the guest editor, Prof Harith Ahmad of University of Malaya and his committee comprisingexperts in the area of photonics who selected, reviewed and approved nine research articles (pp. 107–168), covering amyriad of topics on tuning range characteristics, multiwavelength fiber laser, design of variable gain-flattened EDFA,wideband double-pass Raman fiber amplifier, chromatic dispersion measurement technique, the effect of fiber length onSNR in laser linewidth measurement, fabrication tolerance, loss analysis, grating waveguide, polarisation splitter, resonanttunnelling, Er-Yb co-doped phosphate DFB laser, optical code generating device and erbium/ytterbium co-doped fiberamplifier, etc.To complement the R&D articles on photonics, a topic on science forum (pp. 169–182) which describes laser research atthe University of Technology Malaysia, addressing the broad field of spectrum from laser materials, electronic devicesand laser application was also included.