A perfect lens can produce a perfect image. But seven primary lens aberrations can blur or distort the image instead, and they should be considered when creating an optical system. A lens collects light from a point on an object and focuses it to a corresponding conjugate point on an image. Under most conditions, the lens fails at this task because of some error in the precision with which it focuses this light. Rather than a true point image, the lens produces a blur circle. It is the function...

Optimizing positioning systems for microassembly processes requires an understanding of the potential errors that can cause precision part placement to go awry.Progressive assembly operations such as guiding, gluing and bonding often take place...

A mirror is an important element in many optical systems. Its basic function is to redirect light, often with the purpose of making an optical system more compact. This article discusses the kinds of thin-film coatings that can be used for mirrors....

The Nd:YAG laser crystal was developed not long after the discovery of the ruby laser in the 1960s. Of all the solid-state laser crystals, it has stood the test of time best. Its high gain, narrow linewidth, low threshold and physical properties...

Surface coatings used to control optical, mechanical and electrical properties are deposited as nano- and micrometer thicknesses of special materials.Optical coatings are deposited as thin-film multilayers of a variety of materials using specific...

The challenges of producing dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) filters for telecommunications has revolutionized the optical coating industry. This has resulted in coatings that display precision and stability orders of magnitude better...

The design of optical systems should balance the coating constraints with the optical and mechanical requirements. Understanding the key properties and limitations of optical coatings enables the system designer to improve the performance of the...

The optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) is used to characterize a fiber optic span. It performs single-ended tests and can calculate fiber attenuation and uniformity and splice and connector losses. It can also locate breaks and determine fiber...

Simply put, photometry is the measurement of visible light based on the response of the average human observer. How that definition translates into technically correct quantification methods is the focus of this article. That portion of the spectrum...

A shift in assembly methods would help reduce costs and increase production in the optoelectronics manufacturing and packaging industries.Manufacturing the laser diode is complicated by the existence of multiple proprietary techniques and...

An examination of the packaging technology of photonic components for optical communication and other areas of photonics.Photonic components are key elements for the information te...

To make the right decisions and to ensure satisfactory performance in a positioning system, it is necessary to first have a grasp of performance parameters and an understanding of ...

When an application requires an illumination source, the designer can provide an optimal solution if the application’s attributes are described in light intensity and uniformity values at the field of interest.Intensity and uniformity can be...

The charge-injection device (CID) is a broadband (200 to 1100 nm) charge-transfer device (CTD) image sensor with capabilities well beyond the limitations of typical commercially...

Radiometry involves measuring and predicting levels of optical radiation. This article removes some of the confusion surrounding this often complex technology. Radiometry involves several activities. The two most common are the description and...

Understanding the whys and wherefores of a technology goes a long way toward solving your problem. Putting that knowledge to work requires an understanding of the tools of the trade and how to use them.

Many lasers allow the operator to tune or change the output wavelength from the UV to the IR on demand. Applications facilitated by tunable lasers can be divided into two basic categories. The first are situations where one or more discrete...

Ultraviolet imaging has long been thought to be difficult and awkward by many photographers because of the difficulties encountered when using photographic film in the near-UV...

Ongoing advancements pave the way for high-power LEDs in broader application areas. High-brightness LEDs have found their way into applications such as signs and displays, cell phone flash modules, automotive lighting and general illumination. Some...

Observing the basic principles and understanding the physical behavior of diode lasers helps users operate them correctly and safely. By observing a few simple rules that govern diode lasers’ properties, driving them loses much of its mystery....

Mechanical vibration, moving parts and turbulent airflow present significant problems for most interferometric test methods. New techniques help solve the problem. Conditions on the factory floor and in industrial cleanrooms with high-capacity air...

Transforming ordinary materials into extraordinary optics holds the key to progress. Optics today needs alchemy, and the forces that motivate microchip technology are a key reason why. Today, light can transmit and process digital information as...

Operating in the nano-realm offers designers a host of new opportunities. Understanding what to expect in this miniature world is key to successful nano-optic component design. When physical structures get very small — on the order of...