The Ray and Wave Theory of Lenses

This book describes techniques used to predict the quality of images formed by optical systems, such as telescopes, camera lenses, and microscope objectives. It covers in detail how the ray and wave pictures of lens behavior can be combined and developed to produce a theory capable of dealing with the large angles encountered in real optical systems. Several applications are considered, including the propagation of a Gaussian beam along a skew ray, a clear and convincing demonstration that diffractive optical elements are subject to the same fundamental limitation as conventional lenses, a thorough discussion of the "cosine-to-the-fourth law," and a detailed example of mock ray tracing. Containing many practical insights, as well as exercises and solutions, this book will be of great interest to graduate students taking courses in this field, and to anyone working in optical design and engineering.

Reviews & endorsements

"...valuable and delightful...set forth in a clear, elegant, logical style that leads us from first principles to many profound conclusions...abounds in useful results and fundamental theorems...should be of most interest to lens designers and graduate students in a course in geometrical optics." David Shafer, Optics & Photonics News

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Product details

• Date Published: November 2006
• format: Paperback
• isbn: 9780521028295
• length: 416 pages

• dimensions: 228 x 150 x 26 mm
• weight: 0.617kg
• contains: 77 b/w illus. 20 tables 58 exercises
• availability: Available