chapter 1 Introduction -- chapter 2 Essential semiconductor physics -- chapter 3 Laser fundamentals -- chapter 4 Optical properties of semiconductor materials -- chapter 5 The double heterostructure laser -- chapter 6 Quantum well lasers -- chapter 7 The vertical cavity surface emitting laser -- chapter 8 Diode laser modelling -- chapter 9 Lightwave technology and fibre communications -- chapter 10 High power diode lasers -- chapter 11 Blue lasers and quantum dots -- chapter 12 Quantum cascade lasers -- chapter Appendix I Population inversion in semiconductors -- chapter Appendix II The three-layer dielectric slab waveguide -- chapter Appendix III Valence bands and effective masses -- chapter Appendix IV Valence band engineering via strain -- chapter 1 Introduction.