Geometric optics

  • Knowledge and mastery of basic equipment: shape of source, beam, imaging a slit, power and intensity of a light source.
  • Study the laws of reflection and refraction at the air/glass or air/water interface. Application to waveguides (light fountains).
  • Measuring indices using the Pulfrich refractometer. Measurement of the ordinary and extraordinary indices of a birefringent material. The law of variation of the extraordinary index with the angle between the normal to the wave plane and the optical axis.
  • Focometry, verification of conjugation formulas (on optical benches).
  • Determine the radius and index of a plano-convex lens, study a ball lens.
  • Mirrors : convex - concave - plane distinction, measuring focal distances.
  • Experimental determination of the transfer matrix parameters of a projection lens.
  • Detection of chromatic and geometric aberrations (sphericity, coma, astigmatism, field curvature, distortions). Corrections (achromat, projection lens).
  • Projecting an image onto a distant screen, the principle of the overhead projector.
  • Modeling the eye and its defects. Magnifier principle, power measurement, eye circle.
  • Design and study a modeloptical instrument (telescope, microscope, telephoto lens, etc.). Notion of aperture diaphragms, field diaphragms, pupils, lucarnes, contour field and field of full light. Ocular circle, field glass. Latitude of focus.
  • Study a real optical instrument: measure the commercial magnification of a microscope. Use the information on the eyepiece and objective.
  • Study depth of field using a projection lens: influence of the diaphragm.
  • Separating power: influence of diffraction, photoreceptor (CCD array).
  • Prism : study of deflection as a function of different parameters (material, angle, wavelength). Prism goniometer: material index dispersion law.
  • Simulation : use of professional optical design software (OSLO LT, version 6 from Sinclair Optics). Beam propagation, image formation, aberrations, optical system optimization. This is a "virtual" practical test to see and quantify image formation and, above all, aberrations. For future professionals, this is a tool that cannot be ignored. This lab could be complemented by the use of software more focused on photometry (calculation of illuminance distribution, scattered light rates and light energy transfer). Application to the design of aspherical components, propagation of Gaussian laser beams, their focusing in optical fibers...
Published on March 13, 2017
Updated on March 23, 2017