William Henry Fox Talbot

Bio: William Henry Fox Talbot is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Photography & Celtic languages. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 8 publications receiving 1167 citations.

The Pencil of Nature

Abstract: Originally published as a serial between 1844 and 1846, The Pencil of Nature was the first book to be illustrated entirely with photographs. Early enthusiast William Henry Fox Talbot hoped to spur public interest in photography but was forced to cease publication after just six installments. In its time, the serial was not a commercial success; however, more than 165 years later, it is recognized as a major contribution to the history of photography. Indeed, it has been said that the importance of this book is comparable to that of the Gutenberg Bible in the history of printing. In 1840 Fox Talbot invented the Calotype process--the precursor to film cameras--transforming everyday subjects into works of art. His twenty-four resulting prints, which include architectural studies, local landscapes, still lifes, close-ups, and even a carefully executed portrait, remain strikingly modern and quietly beautiful. The Pencil of Nature has been published in several different incarnations, yet this edition is the first to have been reproduced from the original plates held in England's National Media Museum, each page of the original work published here as Fox Talbot had intended. A 44-page illustrated introduction by Colin Harding gives shape to Fox Talbot's life and times, how he became interested in the notion of a "photogenic drawing" process, how he invented the Calotype, and how he conceived of The Pencil of Nature--the means by which he could show the art of photography to the world for the first time in a book. This is an essential volume for historians, photographers, and anyone interested in the development of photography.

The Photographic Art of William Henry Fox Talbot

Abstract: Preface 6 MISCELLANEA PHOTOGENICA "A Little bit of Magic Realised" 11 Some tools for Understanding Talbot's Photographs 17 Epilogue 28 THE PLATES 33 Notes 234 A Brief Annotated Bibliography 259 Index and Glossary 260

Pencil of Nature

Abstract: The cover of the book is decorated with a cartouche in black and red in a mixture of styles, Medieval, Celtic and Victorian.

Optical multi-mode interference devices based on self-imaging: principles and applications

Abstract: This paper presents an overview of integrated optics routing and coupling devices based on multimode interference. The underlying self-imaging principle in multimode waveguides is described using a guided mode propagation analysis. Special issues concerning the design and operation of multimode interference devices are discussed, followed by a survey of reported applications. It is shown that multimode interference couplers offer superior performance, excellent tolerance to polarization and wavelength variations, and relaxed fabrication requirements when compared to alternatives such as directional couplers, adiabatic X- or Y-junctions, and diffractive star couplers. >

Optics and interferometry with atoms and molecules

Abstract: The development of wave optics for light brought many new insights into our understanding of physics, driven by fundamental experiments like the ones by Young, Fizeau, Michelson-Morley and others. Quantum mechanics, and especially the de Broglie’s postulate relating the momentum p of a particle to the wave vector k of an matter wave: k = 2 λ = p/ℏ, suggested that wave optical experiments should be also possible with massive particles (see table 1), and over the last 40 years electron and neutron interferometers have demonstrated many fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics [1].

Colloquium: Light scattering by particle and hole arrays

Abstract: This Colloquium analyzes the interaction of light with two-dimensional periodic arrays of particles and holes. The enhanced optical transmission observed in the latter and the presence of surface modes in patterned metal surfaces is thoroughly discussed. A review of the most significant discoveries in this area is presented first. A simple tutorial model is then formulated to capture the essential physics involved in these phenomena, while allowing analytical derivations that provide deeper insight. Comparison with more elaborated calculations is offered as well. Finally, hole arrays in plasmon-supporting metals are compared to perforated perfect conductors, thus assessing the role of plasmons in these types of structures through analytical considerations. The developments that have been made in nanophotonics areas related to plasmons in nanostructures, extraordinary optical transmission in hole arrays, complete resonant absorption and emission of light, and invisibility in structured metals are illustrated in this Colloquium in a comprehensive, tutorial fashion.

Imaging with terahertz radiation

Abstract: Within the last several years, the field of terahertz science and technology has changed dramatically. Many new advances in the technology for generation, manipulation, and detection of terahertz radiation have revolutionized the field. Much of this interest has been inspired by the promise of valuable new applications for terahertz imaging and sensing. Among a long list of proposed uses, one finds compelling needs such as security screening and quality control, as well as whimsical notions such as counting the almonds in a bar of chocolate. This list has grown in parallel with the development of new technologies and new paradigms for imaging and sensing. Many of these proposed applications exploit the unique capabilities of terahertz radiation to penetrate common packaging materials and provide spectroscopic information about the materials within. Several of the techniques used for terahertz imaging have been borrowed from other, more well established fields such as x-ray computed tomography and synthetic aperture radar. Others have been developed exclusively for the terahertz field, and have no analogies in other portions of the spectrum. This review provides a comprehensive description of the various techniques which have been employed for terahertz image formation, as well as discussing numerous examples which illustrate the many exciting potential uses for these emerging technologies.

Holotomography: Quantitative phase tomography with micrometer resolution using hard synchrotron radiation x rays.

Abstract: Because the refractive index for hard x rays is slightly different from unity, the optical phase of a beam is affected by transmission through an object. Phase images can be obtained with extreme instrumental simplicity by simple propagation provided the beam is coherent. But, unlike absorption, the phase is not simply related to image brightness. A holographic reconstruction procedure combining images taken at different distances from the specimen was developed. It results in quantitative phase mapping and, through association with three-dimensional reconstruction, in holotomography, the complete three-dimensional mapping of the density in a sample. This tool in the characterization of materials at the micrometer scale is uniquely suited to samples with low absorption contrast and radiation-sensitive systems.