Optical Engineering Fundamentals, Second Edition

Author(s): Bruce H. Walker

Published: 2009

PDF ISBN: 9780819478771 | Print ISBN: 9780819475404

DESCRIPTION

Expand your knowledge of optical engineering fundamentals by taking the SPIE course Basic Optics for Non-Optics Personnel, with instructor Kevin Harding. Click here to register.

This classic Tutorial Text provides a basic understanding of many fundamental optical principles. The Second Edition has been updated to reflect the development of electronic sensors, as well as the advent of mainstream consumer optical products. Chapters also emphasize the application of state-of-the-art computer software to generate solutions to related lens design and optimization problems.

This is an ideal textbook for introductory courses at advanced high school and college levels. For those who proceed to work in the field of optical engineering, this book will provide a convenient source of valuable, basic reference material.

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EXCERPT

The first edition of Optical Engineering Fundamentals (OEF) reflected my experience and exposure to the history of optical engineering as I witnessed it during 25 years of work within the optics industry. All of these work assignments involved the usual team structures, where the range of duties and responsibilities of the optical engineer were quite limited. In the years 1992 through 2008, I continued to work actively as an independent consultant in the fields of optical engineering, lens design, and optomechanical systems design. This second edition of OEF reflects much of what I have learned during this more recent personal work experience, with emphasis on the application of state-of-the-art computer software to generate solutions to related lens design and optimization problems. While all lens design examples presented involve the use of the OSLO software package (Lambda Research, Littleton, MA), it must be made clear that competitive software packages, such as ZEMAX, Code V, and others can be applied to generate similar results. All of this consulting work has required a more complete and thorough understanding of the optical engineering, design, and manufacturing process. Many of the changes and additions contained in this second edition reflect that increased scope of work. Another area that has witnessed significant changes in recent years includes computer systems and software for optical design and analysis. This second edition of OEF contains a chapter dealing with the OSLO-EDU software package. It is hoped that all interested readers, regardless of their professional responsibilities, will find that being familiar with tools like OSLO-EDU will permit them to do a better job. The early chapters of OEF deal with basic concepts that remain unchanged. This edition will expand on those concepts and improve on the effectiveness of the presentations. Subsequent portions of this edition deal with specific optical components, instruments, and systems. These topics are updated to reflect recent developments in those areas, in particular, the development of electronic sensors and how they impact the work of the optical engineer.