"Even though some of these materials can be machined by conventional methods, material processing with lasers is an expanding field which is drawing attention of everyone in the industry as well as academics. Funding agencies are also recently providing substantial funding for research in this field. As laser machining offers several advantages such as capabilities for machining the materials that are difficult to machine otherwise and flexibility and automation, the scope for applications of these advanced materials is further extended. However, no books in the past have focused on the underlying physical phenomena of this interesting and emerging process for advanced materials. Hence, this book will focus on the fundamental principles and physical phenomena involved in the laser machining of advanced materials"--