electrical and optical

Photodetection is a surprisingly deep subject. Quantum photodetectors are probably the best transducers of anything in any field--one photon gets you one electron, over an enormous range of irradiance. Despite this apparent simplicity, intelligent design with photodetectors requires a deep knowledge of how they work, and what the tradeoffs in using them are.

Silvano Donati's _Photodetectors_ is a very good book, connecting much of the fundamental physics with operational specifications. Having these connections makes us more confident and more accurate in making design choices and photon budgets, leading to better instruments.

The language is clear for the most part, and the examples are helpful and come when needed. There are a few places where it looks a bit like a bunch of papers strung together, but those are mostly in the appendices, e.g. the derivation of the noise of avalanche photodiodes. Also, the discussions of ancillary subjects such as front end amplifiers are not quite as good as those on the primary subject of photodetectors.

These are minor objections, and _Photodetectors_ will repay your close reading if you have instruments to design. It has an honorable place on my bookshelf.