Basics of Optics

Notes on optics and optical physics.  Most of us are very familiar with light and optics since we depend a great deal on our sense of vision, yet there is a great deal of mystery for us in the world of optics. It seems easier to understand the physical characteristics of an object as it affects our sense of touch for example. The fact that the object takes up space, has tensile and stiffness characteristics is fairly comprehensible. Sounds made by physical vibrations of the air around us are easy to comprehend. But just what is light? This thing we depend on so much transfers energy by vibrations in fields that are not so intuitive to us. Our understanding of optics has taken thousands of years to develop and I am sure we have thousands more years of active research of it's mysteries left.

Light

Light Sources

Light Measurement

Geometrical Optics

Paraxial Optics

Matrix Optics

Aberrations

Optical Elements

Optical Instruments

Wave Equations

Superposition of Waves

Optical Interference

Interferometry

Spectrometry

Coherent Light

Radiometry

Polarization

Diffraction

Fraunhofer Diffraction

Fresnel Diffraction

Lasers

Laser Beam Propagation

Fiber Optics

Optical Modes in Fibers

Non Linear Optics

Optical Materials

Optical Damage of Materials