Optics 22483 223426496 2008-07-04T00:53:04Z Ginosbot 7020891 robot Adding: [[scn:Òttica]] {{Redirect|Optical|the musical artist|Optical (artist)}} {{For|the book by Sir Isaac Newton|Opticks}} [[Image:Table_of_Opticks,_Cyclopaedia,_Volume_2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Table of Opticks, 1728 ''[[Cyclopaedia]]'']] '''Optics''' (''{{polytonic|ὀπτική}}'' ''appearance'' or ''look'' in [[Ancient Greek]]) is the [[science]] that describes the behavior and properties of [[light]] and the interaction of light with [[matter]]. Optics explains [[optical phenomenon|optical phenomena]]. The field of optics usually describes the behavior of [[optical spectrum|visible]], [[infrared]], and [[ultraviolet]] light; however because light is an [[electromagnetic wave]], similar phenomena occur in [[X-ray]]s, [[microwave]]s, [[radio]] waves, and other forms of [[electromagnetic radiation]] and analogous phenomena occur with [[charged particle]] beams. Optics can largely be regarded as a sub-field of [[electromagnetism]]. Some optical phenomena depend on the [[quantum]] nature of light relating some areas of optics to [[quantum mechanics]]. In practice, the vast majority of optical phenomena can be accounted for using the electromagnetic description of light, as described by [[Maxwell's Equations]]. The field of optics has its own identity, societies, and conferences. The pure science aspects of the field are often called optical science or [[optical physics]]. Applied optical sciences are often called [[optical engineering]]. Applications of optical engineering related specifically to [[lighting|illumination]] systems are called illumination engineering. Each of these disciplines tends to be quite different in its applications, technical skills, focus, and professional affiliations. More recent innovations in optical engineering are often categorized as [[photonics]] or [[optoelectronics]]. The boundaries between these fields and "optics" are often unclear, and the terms are used differently in different parts of the world and in different areas of industry. Because of the wide application of the science of "light" to real-world applications, the areas of optical science and optical engineering tend to be very cross-disciplinary. Optical science is a part of many related disciplines including electrical engineering, physics, psychology, medicine (particularly [[ophthalmology]] and [[optometry]]), and others. Additionally, the most complete description of optical behavior, as known to physics, is unnecessarily complicated for most problems, so particular simplified models are used. These limited models adequately describe subsets of optical phenomena while ignoring behavior irrelevant and/or undetectable to the system of interest. == Classical optics == Before [[quantum optics]] became important, optics consisted mainly of the application of classical electromagnetism and its [[high frequency approximation]]s to light. Classical optics divides into two main branches: geometric optics and [[physical optics]]. '''Geometric optics''', or '''ray optics''', describes [[light]] [[Wave propagation|propagation]] in terms of "[[ray (optics)|rays]]". Rays are bent at the [[wiktionary:interface|interface]] between two dissimilar media, and may be curved in a [[Medium (optics)|medium]] in which the [[refractive index]] is a function of position. The "ray" in geometric optics is an [[abstract object]] which is perpendicular to the [[wavefront]]s of the actual optical waves. Geometric optics provides rules for propagating these rays through an optical system, which indicates how the actual wavefront will propagate. Note that this is a significant simplification of optics, and fails to account for many important optical effects such as [[diffraction]] and [[polarization]]. Geometric optics is often simplified even further by making the [[paraxial approximation]], or "small angle approximation." The mathematical behavior then becomes linear, allowing optical components and systems to be described by simple matrices. This leads to the techniques of [[Gaussian optics]] and ''paraxial raytracing'', which are used to find first-order properties of optical systems, such as approximate image and object positions and magnifications. [[Gaussian beam|Gaussian beam propagation]] is an expansion of paraxial optics that provides a more accurate model of coherent radiation like [[laser]] beams. While still using the paraxial approximation, this technique partially accounts for diffraction, allowing accurate calculations of the rate at which a laser beam expands with distance, and the minimum size to which the beam can be focused. Gaussian beam propagation thus bridges the gap between geometric and physical optics. [[Physical optics]] or [[wave optics]] builds on [[Huygen's principle]] and models the propagation of complex wavefronts through optical systems, including both the [[amplitude]] and the [[Phase (waves)|phase]] of the wave. This technique, which is usually applied numerically on a computer, can account for diffraction, [[interference]], and polarization effects, as well as [[Aberration in optical systems|aberrations]] and other complex effects. Approximations are still generally used, however, so this is not a full electromagnetic wave theory model of the propagation of light. Such a full model would (at present) be too computationally demanding to be useful for most problems, although some small-scale problems can be analyzed using complete wave models. === Topics related to classical optics === [[Image:Light dispersion conceptual.gif|thumb|right|Conceptual animation of light [[dispersion (optics)|dispersion]] in a [[Prism (optics)|prism]].]] * [[Aberration in optical systems|Aberrations]] * [[Coherence (physics)|Coherence]] * [[Diffraction]] * [[Dispersion (optics)|Dispersion]] * [[Distortion]] * [[Fabrication and testing (optical components)]] * [[Fermat's principle]] * [[Fourier optics]] * Geometric optics of: ** [[Lens (optics)|Lenses]] ** [[Mirror]]s ** [[Optical instrument]]s ** [[Prism (optics)|Prisms]] * [[Gradient index optics]] * [[Interferometry]] * [[Optical lens design]] * [[Optical resolution]] * [[Polarization]] * [[Ray (optics)]] * [[Ray tracing (physics)]] * [[Reflection (physics)|Reflection]] * [[Refraction]] * [[Scattering]] * [[Spectrum]] * [[Wave]] == Modern optics == ''Modern optics'' encompasses the areas of optical science and engineering that became popular in the 20th century. These areas of optical science typically relate to the electromagnetic or quantum properties of light but do include other topics. === Topics related to modern optics === * [[Adaptive optics]] * [[Circular dichroism]] * [[Crystal optics]] * [[Diffractive optics]] * [[Fiber optics]] * [[Waveguide (optics)]] * [[Holography]] * [[Integrated optics]] * [[Jones calculus]] * [[Laser]]s * [[Lens flare]] * [[Microlens]] * [[Non-imaging optics]] * [[Nonlinear optics]] * [[Optical pattern recognition]] * [[Optical processor]]s * [[Optical vortex]] * [[Photometry (optics)|Photometry]] * [[Photonics]] * [[Quantum optics]] * [[Radiometry]] * [[Statistical optics]] * [[Thin-film optics]] * [[X-ray optics]] == Other optical fields == * [[Abbe number]] * [[Color science]] * [[Image processing]] * [[Information theory]] * [[Lighting]] * [[Machine vision]] * [[Optical communication]] * [[Optical computer]]s * [[Optical disc|Optical data storage]] * [[Optical feedback]] * [[Pattern recognition]] * [[Photography (science of)]] * [[Radiative heat transfer]] * [[Thermal physics]] * [[Visual system]] == Everyday optics == Optics is part of everyday life. [[Rainbow]]s and [[mirage]]s are examples of optical phenomena. Many people benefit from [[eyeglasses]] or [[contact lenses]], and optics are used in many consumer goods including [[cameras]]. Superimposition of periodic structures, for example transparent tissues with a grid structure, produces shapes known as [[moiré pattern]]s. Superimposition of periodic transparent patterns comprising parallel opaque lines or curves produces [[line moiré]] patterns. == See also == {{portal|Physics}} * [[History of optics]] * [[List of optical topics]] * [[List of publications in physics#Optics|Important publications in optics]] * [[Transparency (optics)]] * [[Optical illusion]] * ''Optics'' is a book by [[Ptolemy]] * [[Optician]] * [[Anti-fog]] treatment of optical surfaces === Societies === * [[Optical Society of America]] * [[SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering]] * [[European Optical Society]] === Wikibooks modules === * [[wikibooks:Optics (Physics Study Guide)|Optics (Physics Study Guide)]] * [[wikibooks:Optics|Optics]] == References == * {{cite book | author=Hecht, Eugene | title=Optics (4th ed.) | publisher=Pearson Education | year=2001 | isbn=0-8053-8566-5}} * {{cite book | author=Serway, Raymond A.; Jewett, John W. | title=Physics for Scientists and Engineers (6th ed.) | publisher=Brooks/Cole | year=2004 | isbn=0-534-40842-7}} * {{cite book | author=Tipler, Paul | title=Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Electricity, Magnetism, Light, and Elementary Modern Physics (5th ed.) | publisher=W. H. Freeman | year=2004 | isbn=0-7167-0810-8}} * {{cite book | author=Lipson, Stephen G. | title=Optical Physics (3rd ed.) | publisher=Cambridge University Press| year=1995 | isbn=0-5214-3631-1}} == External links == {{Commonscat|Optics}} ===Textbooks and tutorials=== * [http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1book5.html Optics] — an open-source Optics textbook * [http://www.optics2001.com Optics2001] — Optics library and community ===Societies=== * [http://www.myeos.org European Optical Society] * [http://www.osa.org Optical Society of America] * [http://www.osiindia.org Optical Society of India] * [http://www.spie.org SPIE] {{physics-footer}} {{Glass science}} [[Category:Optics| ]] [[ar:بصريات]] [[az:Optika]] [[bn:আলোকবিজ্ঞান]] [[be:Оптыка]] [[bs:Optika]] [[bg:Оптика]] [[ca:Òptica]] [[cs:Optika]] [[cy:Opteg]] [[da:Optik]] [[de:Optik]] [[et:Optika]] [[el:Οπτική]] [[es:Óptica]] [[eo:Optiko]] [[eu:Optika]] [[fa:نورشناخت]] [[fr:Optique]] [[fur:Otiche]] [[gl:Óptica]] [[ko:광학]] [[hr:Optika]] [[io:Optiko]] [[id:Optik]] [[is:Ljósfræði]] [[it:Ottica]] [[he:אופטיקה]] [[la:Optica]] [[lv:Optika]] [[lb:Optik]] [[lt:Optika]] [[hu:Optika]] [[ms:Optik]] [[mn:Оптик]] [[nl:Optica]] [[ja:光学]] [[no:Optikk]] [[nn:Optikk]] [[pl:Optyka]] [[pt:Óptica]] [[ro:Optică]] [[ru:Оптика]] [[sq:Optika]] [[scn:Òttica]] [[simple:Optics]] [[sk:Optika (odbor)]] [[sl:Optika]] [[sr:Оптика]] [[fi:Optiikka]] [[sv:Optik]] [[ta:ஒளியியல்]] [[vi:Quang học]] [[tr:Optik]] [[uk:Оптика]] [[bat-smg:Optėka]] [[zh:光学]]