Light. Optical rays and their properties. Image formation.
Paraxial ray tracing. Paraxial properties of simple optical systems. The prism, the angle of minimum deviation. Ophthalmic lenses. Astigmatic lenses. Prismatic effect in astigmatic lenses
- Warren J. Smith, "Modern Optical Engineering", McGraw-Hill (2008)
- Warren J. Smith, "Practical Optical System Layout", McGraw-Hill (1997)
- L. Ronchi Abbozzo, D. Mugnai "Ottica classica, teoria della visione, ottica ondulatoria, CNR, 2008
- George Smith, David A. Atchison “The eye and visual optical instruments” Cambridge University Press, 1997
- E. Hecht “Optics” 5th ed., Pearson Education (2016)
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired:
The student acquires knowledge about the nature of light, the image formation and is able to understand the operation of simple optical systems.
Acquired skills:
The student acquires a model (optical rays) to describe light, a technique (paraxial ray tracing) to simulate the light propagation and learns to use these tools to determine the imaging properties of simple optical systems. At the end of the course the student is able to interpret an ophthalmic lens recipe and convert it according to the various standards in use.
For the topics of the first semester, a written and an oral exam are foreseen. The written test, lasting two hours, consists of closed-answer questions in which the student is required to carry out the geometric construction of the image in simple systems, and to apply the various formulas relating to the principles of paraxial optics. In the oral test, two-three questions will be asked to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the topics covered. For the topics of the second semester there is a written test, lasting 60', composed of closed-answer questions aimed at ascertaining the student's ability to apply the principles of ophthalmic lenses, and an oral test of two - three questions aimed at ascertaining the understanding of the topics covered and a question in which the student will have to apply the methods of paraxial optics learned in the first semester to more complex optical systems.
To take the oral test of the second semester it is necessary to have passed the two written tests and the oral test of the first semester.
Course program
Part I (6 credits, Professor Vincenzo Greco)
Light as propagation of electromagnetic energy. The rays. The absolute refractive index of a transparent, homogeneous and isotropic medium. The dispersion. The law of propagation for rays. The reflection, refraction and scattering of light on a diopter. The thin prism. The Fresnel’s equations for normal incidence. The formation of images. Mathematical expression of a generic dioptre with axial symmetry. Centered optical systems. Paraxial approximation. Characteristics of a general centered paraxial optical system. The spherical dioptre. The plane dioptre. The spherical mirror. The plane mirror. The thick lens in air. The parallel optical flat in air. The thin lens in air. Centered optical systems with two thin lenses in air. Paraxial characteristics of Gullstrand’s schematic eye.
Part II (3 credits, Professor Lorenzo Fini)
The prism and its optical and geometric parameters. Deviation angle of a prism and its analytical expression. Thick and thin prisms (image formation). Optical and geometrical conditions for the propagation of monochromatic radiation through the prism. Minimum deviation angle of the prism; its use. The prism and the polychromatic radiation. The Risley prisms. The application of optical laws to the comprehension of simple phenomena. The magnifying glass, the telescope, the rainbow. Short notes on third-order geometric aberrations and chromatic aberration.
Parte III (3 credits , Professor Alessandro Farini)
Lenses with prismatic effect and the concept of prism-diopter. Nominal value and corrective effect of a prism. Cylindrical lenses. Toric lenses. Generic representation of non axi-symmetric surfaces. Ocular eye rotations behind lenses.