BASIC OPTICS

Optical systems manipulate light, propagating (moving) it from one place to another.  The study of how this happens is called geometrical optics.  As the title implies,  geometrical optics involves the use of geometry (lines and angles), as well as basic algebra.  Knowledge of geometrical optics is at the heart of what every optical engineer learns about light.

An optical "system" can be as simple as a pinhole, a single lens or mirror, or as sophisticated as a multi-element lens used in UV lithography (multi-million $$$ lens used to make computer chips).  In this class we will study the basics of lenses, mirrors, and how light is focused to form an image.