Optical system

A optical system is defined by the presence of polished surfaces which interpose on the luminous ways evolving/moving in transparent mediums.

The Lumière undergoes there reflection S, Réfraction S, diffusion S, Diffraction S or filtering S following the level of analysis of the ways.
Les polished surfaces is, most of the time, plane or spherical because it is those which are façonnables in series.
Plus seldom, one will meet cylindrical, toric or paraboloidal surfaces.

Two classes of optical systems are distinguished:

dioptric systems
catadioptric systems

Dioptric systems

The light enters by the face of entry and leaves by the face exit while having undergone transformations by the operations described above.

the mirrors plans.
the spherical mirrors.
the diopter plan and the blades with parallel faces.
the prism.
the spherical diopter. The thick lenses and the thin lenses.

They are optical systems.

A precision: the centered systems dioptric S which comprise a central axis on which are aligned the optical parts of revolution (in the case of the mirrors or of the plane diopters, it will be placed perpendicular to this axis).

Examples: the Telescope, the Microscope, the Twin , the photographic Objective , the Rangefinder, but also the Periscope, the Rétroviseur ( optical instruments ) are composed of dioptric centered systems.

The condenser which allows the uniform lighting of the field observed in an optical instrument, is an optical system (clean with the design of the whole but individually unsuitable like instrument).

Catadioptric systems

If the light enters by the face of entry, a series of refractions undergoes, it finally also arises by this same face. At least a reflection is necessary to return it in this initial direction.

If the luminous rays undergo only reflections, the system is more precisely called reflecting , like the triède of mirrors.

The association of these optical systems is called optical instrument

The expressions optical Instrument or instrument optical (also used) indicate these assemblies of various optical systems in more or less complex whole with a precise aim of construction of an image.

When they require the presence of a human eye to observe it, they are known as subjective , as the telescope, the microscope, etc
the instruments not requiring the presence of the human eye are known as a contrario objective : the projector, the photographic room, etc

They require to define their quality:

studies of Focométrie for obtaining a correct image by focusing of the luminous rays.
studies of photometry for the taking into account of flows of transported energy (flow, intensity).
the taking into account of the aberration S and their Correction S (geometrical, chromatic, of diffraction).
the comprehension of qualities and requirements of the human eye (acuity, Resolving power, defects and corrections).
the contribution of technical solutions suppémentaires: diaphragm of field, opening, taken into account of the fields.
the taking into account of physical optics and thus of the aspects undulatory and corpuscular of the light.

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