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.

A multimedia interactive guide to developing practical skills for optics research. Use as a class lab manual, an instructional tool or as an indispensable reference. In concise, high-def videos, various skills and techniques are demonstrated and explained. These cover topics for the novice, such as mounting and cleaning of optics, as well as for the more advanced learner, such as balanced detection, and lock-in amplifiers. Various interactive widgets let you simulate the experience of aligning a laser beam to an optical system, aligning an interferometer to get fringes, or adjust a Fabry-Perot cavity while observing the mode spectrum. Other tools help you quickly find the Gaussian beam parameters of your laser from measured beam radii, and to calculate the position of a lens or pair of lenses to mode match a laser to a cavity.

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 multimedia interactive guide to developing practical skills for optics research. Use as a class lab manual, an instructional tool or as an indispensable reference. In concise, high-def videos, various skills and techniques are demonstrated and explained. These cover topics for the novice, such as mounting and cleaning of optics, as well as for the more advanced learner, such as balanced detection, and lock-in amplifiers."--

Learn the essential skills of laboratory optics and its underlying theoretical framework with seven key experiments.

An optics experiment is the product of intricate planning and imagination, best learned through practice. Bringing forth the creative side of experimental physics through optics, this book introduces its readers to the fundamentals of optical design through seven key experiments. The book includes several topics to support readers preparing to enter industrial or academic research laboratories. Optical sources, model testing and fitting, noise, geometric optics, optical processes such as diffraction, interference, polarization, and optical cavities, are just some of the key topics included. Coding tutorials are provided in the book and online to further develop readers' experience with design and experimental analysis. This guide is an invaluable introduction to the creative and explorative world of laboratory optics.