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Optics

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7 domain-specific abstractions whose origin domain is Optics.

  • Afocal system — An optical system with zero net vergence and effectively infinite focal length, mapping collimated input rays to collimated output rays while changing angle or beam diameter.
  • Lorentz oscillator model — A classical model of bound charges as damped driven harmonic oscillators, producing frequency-dependent dielectric response, dispersion and resonant absorption.
  • Optical heterodyne detection — A coherent optical detection method that mixes a signal with a frequency-offset local oscillator so phase and frequency modulation appear as an electronically measurable beat signal.
  • Optical Vortex — A topological phase defect of a coherent optical field where complex amplitude vanishes, phase is undefined, and phase accumulated around an enclosing loop is an integer multiple of 2π, giving the singularity a signed winding charge.
  • Physical optics — The treatment of optical propagation as waves so interference, diffraction and polarization are retained beyond geometric rays.
  • Transmittance — The fraction of incident radiant power that emerges through a material or optical system under specified wavelength, geometry and boundary conditions.
  • Transparency and translucency — Optical transmission properties distinguished by scattering: transparent media preserve image-forming direction through the material, while translucent media transmit light but diffuse spatial detail.