A concise, yet deep introduction to geometrical optics, developing the practical skills and research techniques routinely used in modern laboratories. Suitable for both students and self-learners, this accessible text teaches readers how to build their own optical laboratory, and design and perform optical experiments.

A concise, yet deep introduction to experimental, geometrical optics, this book begins with fundamental concepts and then develops the practical skills and research techniques routinely used in modern laboratories. Suitable for students, researchers and optical engineers, this accessible text teaches readers how to build their own optical laboratory and to design and perform optical experiments. It uses a hands-on approach which fills a gap between theory-based textbooks and laboratory manuals, allowing the reader to develop their practical skills in this interdisciplinary field, and also explores the ways in which this knowledge can be applied to the design and production of commercial optical devices. Including supplementary online resources to help readers track and evaluate their experimental results, this text is the ideal companion for anyone with a practical interest in experimental geometrical optics.

Aimed at students taking laboratory courses in experimental optics, this book introduces readers to optical instruments and their uses. The book explains the basic operation of lenses, mirrors, telescopes in the laboratory and under field conditions, how to use optical instruments to their maximum potential and how to keep them in working order. It gives an account of the laws of geometrical optics which govern the design, layout and working of optical instruments. The book describes the interactions of polarised light with matter and the instruments and devices derived from this, and discusses the choice of spectrometers and detectors for various spectral regions, with particular attention to CCD cameras. The emphasis throughout is on description, with mathematical precision confined to the appendices, which explain the ray transfer matrix and outline the Seidel theory of optical aberrations. The appendices also introduce Fourier methods in optics and Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry.

Demonstrational Optics presents a new didactical approach to the study of optics. Emphasizing the importance of elaborate new experimental demonstrations, pictorial illustrations, computer simulations and models of optical phenomena in order to ensure a deeper understanding of the general and statistical optics. It includes problems focused on the pragmatic needs of students, secondary school teachers, university professors and optical engineers. This volume aims to present improved teaching methods and practical explanations of optical phenomena. An important feature is the inclusion of elaborate pictorial approach to explaining optical phenomena in parallel to a general mathematical description. The modern approach developed here is also used to illustrate many basic phenomena, complimenting the existing literature. The volume contains a valuable compendium of optical experiments for university, college and senior-school physics teachers. Experiments and modern computer simulations are described within the volume in sufficient detail to allow successful reproduction in a classroom or lecture theatre.

"This book provides a comprehensive guide to a wide range of optical experiments. Topics covered include classical geometrical and physical optics, polarization, scattering and diffraction, imaging, interference, wave propagation, optical properties of materials, atmospheric and relativistic optics. There are a few selected suggestions on lasers and quantum optics. The book is an essential practical guide for optics students and their mentors at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The experiments described are based on the author's experience during many years of laboratory teaching in several universities and colleges and the emphasis is on setups which use equipment that is commonly available in student labs, with minimal dependence on special samples or instruments. A basic background in physics and optics is assumed, but commonly encountered problems and mistakes are discussed. There are several appendices describing specialized points which are difficult to locate in the literature, and advice is provided about computer simulations which accompany some of the experiments. Part of IOP Series in Emerging Technologies in Optics and Photonics." -- Prové de l'editor.

This book presents a new didactical approach to the study of optics. It emphasizes the importance of elaborate new experimental demonstrations containing pictorial illustrations, computer simulations and models of optical phenomena in order to ensure a deeper understanding of wave and geometric optics. It includes problems focused on the pragmatic needs of students, secondary school teachers, university professors and optical engineers. A substantial part of this volume is devoted to thermal radiation and its properties, especially with partial coherence. The book contains detailed descriptions of demonstrational experiments.