Optical engineering is the field of study that focuses on applications of optics.
Optical engineers design components of optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, and other equipment that utilize the properties of light. An optical instrument either processes Light waves to enhance an image for viewing or analyzes light waves (or Photons to determine one of a number of characteristic A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate Axial symmetry which transmits and refracts Light, converging or diverging A microscope ( Greek: ( micron) = small + ( skopein) = to look or see is an instrument for viewing objects that are A telescope is an instrument designed for the observation of remote objects and the collection of Electromagnetic radiation. Light, or visible light, is Electromagnetic radiation of a Wavelength that is visible to the Human eye (about 400–700 Other devices include optical sensors and measurement systems, lasers, fiber optic communication systems, optical disc systems (e. A laser is a device that emits Light ( Electromagnetic radiation) through a process called Stimulated emission. An optical fiber (or fibre) is a Glass or Plastic fiber that carries Light along its length g. CD, DVD), etc. A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is
Since optical engineers want to design and build devices that make light do something useful, they must understand and apply the science of optics in substantial detail, in order to know what is physically possible to achieve (physics and chemistry). Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties However, they also must know what is practical in terms of available technology, materials, costs, design methods, etc. As with other fields of engineering, computers are important to many (perhaps most) optical engineers. A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. They are used with instruments, for simulation, in design, and for many other applications. Engineers often use general computer tools such as spreadsheets and programming languages, and they make frequent use of specialized optical software designed specifically for their field. A spreadsheet is a Computer application that simulates a paper worksheet A programming language is an Artificial language that can be used to write programs which control the behavior of a machine particularly a Computer.
Optical engineering metrology uses optical methods to measure micro-vibrations with instruments like the laser speckle interferometer or to measure the properties of the various masses with instruments measuring refraction. Metrology (from Ancient Greek metron (measure and logos (study of is the Science of Measurement. Refraction is the change in direction of a Wave due to a change in its Speed.
See also
Further reading
- Driggers, Ronald G. Optical physics, or optical science, is a subfield of Atomic molecular and optical physics. SPIE is a Not-for-profit international society for the exchange collection and dissemination of knowledge in Optics, Photonics, and Imaging engineering CODE V is a commercial software package developed by Optical Research Associates Zemax is a widely-used Optical design program sold by Zemax Development Corporation of Bellevue Washington (formerly Focus Software (ed. ) (2003). Encyclopedia of Optical Engineering. New York: Marcel Dekker. 3 vols. ISBN 978-0824709402
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