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The mathematical behaviour then becomes linear, allowing optical components and systems to be described by simple matrices. This leads to the techniques of Gaussian optics and paraxial ray tracing, which are used to find basic properties of optical systems, such as approximate image and object positions and magnifications. [37]
Physical optics is also the name of an approximation commonly used in optics, electrical engineering and applied physics.In this context, it is an intermediate method between geometric optics, which ignores wave effects, and full wave electromagnetism, which is a precise theory.
An optical instrument is a device that processes light waves (or photons), either to enhance an image for viewing or to analyze and determine their characteristic properties. Common examples include periscopes , microscopes , telescopes , and cameras .
Optical activity Photosensitivity A basic distinction is between isotropic materials, which exhibit the same properties regardless of the direction of the light, and anisotropic ones, which exhibit different properties when light passes through them in different directions.
Subscripts 1 and 2 refer to initial and final optical media respectively. These ratios are sometimes also used, following simply from other definitions of refractive index, wave phase velocity, and the luminal speed equation:
Optoelectronic devices are electrical-to-optical or optical-to-electrical transducers, or instruments that use such devices in their operation. [ 1 ] Electro-optics is often erroneously used as a synonym, but is a wider branch of physics that concerns all interactions between light and electric fields , whether or not they form part of an ...
Notes Name Symbol [nb 2] Name Symbol Luminous energy: Q v [nb 3] lumen second: lm⋅s T⋅J: The lumen second is sometimes called the talbot. Luminous flux, luminous power Φ v [nb 3] lumen (= candela steradian) lm (= cd⋅sr) J: Luminous energy per unit time Luminous intensity: I v: candela (= lumen per steradian) cd (= lm/sr) J: Luminous flux ...
In general, any particular instrument will operate over a small portion of this total range because of the different techniques used to measure different portions of the spectrum. Below optical frequencies (that is, at microwave and radio frequencies), the spectrum analyzer is a closely related electronic device. Spectrometers are used in many ...