Topic
Physical optics
About: Physical optics is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5342 publications have been published within this topic receiving 101388 citations. The topic is also known as: wave optics.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
More filters
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a new instrumental concept for long-baseline optical single-mode interferometry using integrated optics which were developed for telecommunication applications and presented the concept of an optical / infrared interferometric instrument based on this new technology.
Abstract: We propose a new instrumental concept for long-baseline optical single-mode interferometry using integrated optics which were developed for telecommunication. Visible and infrared multi-aperture interferometry requires many optical functions (spatial filtering, beam combination, photometric calibration, polarization control) to detect astronomical signals at very high angular resolution. Since the 80's, integrated optics on planar substrate have become available for telecommunication applications with multiple optical functions like power dividing, coupling, multiplexing, etc. We present the concept of an optical / infrared interferometric instrument based on this new technology. The main advantage is to provide an interferometric combination unit on a single optical chip. Integrated optics are compact, provide stability, low sensitivity to external constrains like temperature, pressure or mechanical stresses, no optical alignment except for coupling, simplicity and intrinsic polarization control. The integrated optics devices are inexpensive compared to devices that have the same functionalities in bulk optics. We think integrated optics will fundamentally change single-mode interferometry. Integrated optics devices are in particular well-suited for interferometric combination of numerous beams to achieve aperture synthesis imaging or for space-based interferometers where stability and a minimum of optical alignments are wished.
107 citations
TL;DR: The essential concepts and technical terms are clearly defined, the necessary simplifications are introduced according to the characteristics of optical waves, and the formulas used to calculate the signal intensities under two different situations (static and dynamic) are properly derived.
Abstract: I systematically analyze the theory of optical frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) interference. There are three different versions of optical FMCW interference, discussed in detail: sawtooth-wave optical FMCW interference, triangular-wave optical FMCW interference, and sinusoidal-wave optical FMCW interference. The essential concepts and technical terms are clearly defined, the necessary simplifications are introduced according to the characteristics of optical waves, and the formulas used to calculate the signal intensities under two different situations (static and dynamic) are properly derived. Advantages and limitations of each version of optical FMCW interference are also discussed.
107 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the equivalence of the angular-spectrum representation and one of Rayleigh integral transforms is demonstrated, making use of conditions under which the integral formula exists as the unique solution to a certain class of boundary-value problems.
Abstract: The representation of the electromagnetic field as an angular spectrum of plane waves is becoming increasingly popular in the treatment of certain problems in physical optics. In this paper the equivalence of the angular-spectrum representation and of one of Rayleigh’s integral transforms is demonstrated. Making use of conditions under which the Rayleigh integral formula exists as the unique solution to a certain class of boundary-value problems, conditions under which the angular-spectrum representation is valid are discussed.
106 citations
Book•
13 Jul 1996TL;DR: In this paper, the principles of quantum mechanics and their applications are discussed, as well as the application of interference effects and their application in the propagation and propagation of laser beams in the context of thermodynamic measurements.
Abstract: 1. Radiometry 2. Geometrical optics 3. Maxwell's equations 4. Properties of electromagnetic waves 5. Propagation and applications of polarized light 6. Interference effects and their applications 7. Diffraction effects and their applications 8. Introduction to the principles of quantum mechanics 9. Atomic and molecular energy levels 10. Radiative transfer between quantum states 11. Spectroscopical techniques for thermodynamical measurements 12. Optical gain and lasers 13. Propagation of laser beams.
104 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors derived the radiation integral for a doubly curved offset reflector antenna illuminated by an arbitrary source using the Jacobi-Bessel series to evaluate the Fourier transforms.
Abstract: The physical optics approximation is employed to derive the radiation integral for a doubly curved offset reflector antenna illuminated by an arbitrary source. A novel procedure is presented for expressing the radiation integral in terms of a summation of Fourier transforms of an "effective" aperture distribution which includes the effect of the curvature of the surface. The Jacobi-Bessel series is used to evaluate the Fourier transforms. The vector nature of the far-field pattern is studied by evaluating its three Cartesian components in a unified fashion. The rapid numerical evaluations of the expressions obtained are demonstrated via extensive test cases. In particular, the scattering characteristics of symmetric and offset parabolic, spherical, and shaped reflectors are studied in detail, and comparisons are made with other available data.
104 citations