Recommendation for a primer on optical system design/optomechanics?

[crashcat]

I am looking for a textbook or handbook on optical system design. I would prefer one that actually derives equations rather than just slapping down rules of thumb, although I would take the latter. My problem is that I've done a ton of bench top optic setups, but my skills are kind of capped at putting down mirrors and pinholes.

For instance, I have two fibers with 30 cm of free space between them. Do I need a fiber coupler or other lens on the output fiber and what about the input fiber? If I have a mirror in the path, what is the amount of light lost per diameter/distance? What diameter multimode fiber should I use? How do I ensure the the beam coming out of the multimode fiber has a good shape and isn't changing modes with vibration?

Example 2: if you open up a spectrophotometer there are dozens of components, but all it does is shine a light through the sample and then onto a diffraction grating. What are all those additional components for?

Example 3: I have a 2 mm diameter collimated beam hitting a fiber with a `1 mm high NA GRIN lens, but there's 99.99% losses and nothing gets coupled into the fiber. What's the deal?

 

[alena_S]

The best book I have found so far is "Optical System Design" by Robert E. Fischer, which covers the basics of optical system design and goes into more detail about how to design and analyze such systems. It also contains worked examples and exercises to help you develop your skills. It is also useful for those who want to learn more about the physics of optical systems, as well as those who are looking to apply their knowledge in practical applications.