Optical engineering explained

Optical engineering is the field of engineering encompassing the physical phenomena and technologies associated with the generation, transmission, manipulation, detection, and utilization of light.^[1] Optical engineers use the science of optics to solve problems and to design and build devices that make light do something useful.^[2] They design and operate optical equipment that uses the properties of light using physics and chemistry,^[3] such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, lasers, sensors, fiber-optic communication systems and optical disc systems (e.g. CD, DVD).

Optical engineering metrology uses optical methods to measure either micro-vibrations with instruments like the laser speckle interferometer, or properties of masses with instruments that measure refraction.^[4]

Nano-measuring and nano-positioning machines are devices designed by optical engineers. These machines, for example microphotolithographic steppers, have nanometer precision, and consequently are used in the fabrication of goods at this scale.^[5]

See also

• Optical lens design
• Optical physics
• Optician
• Photonics

References

[1] Walker, Bruce H (1998). Optical Engineering Fundamentals. SPIE Press. p. 1. .

[2] Walker, Bruce H (1998). Optical Engineering Fundamentals, SPIE Press. p. 16. .

[3] Manske E. (2019) Nanopositioning and Nanomeasuring Machines. In: Gao W. (eds) Metrology. Precision Manufacturing. Springer, Singapore. .

[4] "ESO Awards ELT Sensor Contract to Teledyne e2V". www.eso.org. Retrieved 22 May 2017.

Further reading

• Driggers, Ronald G. (ed.) (2003). Encyclopedia of Optical Engineering. New York: Marcel Dekker. 3 vols.
• Bruce H. Walker, Historical Review, SPIE Press, Bellingham, WA.
• FTS Yu & Xiangyang Yang (1997) Introduction to Optical Engineering, Cambridge University Press, .
• Optical Engineering (ISSN 0091-3286)

Notes and References

1. Book: Read "Harnessing Light: Optical Science and Engineering for the 21st Century" at NAP.edu. 1998 . 10.17226/5954 . 978-0-309-05991-6 . en.
2. Web site: An Introduction to Optical Design Synopsys. 2021-04-11. www.synopsys.com. en.
3. Walker, Bruce H (1998). Optical Engineering Fundamentals. SPIE Press. p. 16. .
4. Walker, Bruce H (1998). Optical Engineering Fundamentals, SPIE Press. p. 16.
5. Manske E. (2019) Nanopositioning and Nanomeasuring Machines. In: Gao W. (eds) Metrology. Precision Manufacturing. Springer, Singapore.