Understanding Optical Transformations

  • Thread starter Thread starter fanieh
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Optical
AI Thread Summary
Optical transformation refers to the process of analyzing and manipulating light patterns, often involving diffraction and interference phenomena. The term "transform" is used because it implies a change in the form of light, similar to mathematical transformations that alter figures or expressions without changing their fundamental values. The discussion highlights the potential for predicting interference patterns, such as those from a double slit experiment, through optical transforms rather than direct experimentation. Resources suggest that optical transforms are particularly useful for analyzing complex materials like amorphous or disordered structures. Understanding the specific context and definitions of "transform" in both mathematics and physics is crucial for grasping the concept fully.
fanieh
Messages
274
Reaction score
12
What exactly is Optical Transform?

Is it simply shining lights on material to see diffraction patterns? Why the word "Transform"? I can't get any definition of this in the net. Is it about performing Fourier Transform on the light and getting this displayed on the screen or does the screen patterns directly from the light source and slits or material? Thanks.
 
Science news on Phys.org
fanieh said:
Why the word "Transform"? I can't get any definition of this in the net.
I found many links on Google... http://www.dlf.ug.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/DNA-Welberry-Optical-transform-methods.pdf for example says its used when more efficient like on amorphous materials or disordered structures, even though modern computers are fast enough to calculate the diffraction patterns easily.

When I was a kid simple ray tracing programs took days without a supercomputer...
 
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/transform

verb (used with object)
5. Mathematics. to change the form of (a figure, expression, etc.) without in general changing the value.
6. Physics. to change into another form of energy.

verb (used without object)
7. to undergo a change in form, appearance, or character; become transformed.

noun
8. Mathematics.
  1. a mathematical quantity obtained from a given quantity by an algebraic, geometric, or functional transformation.
 
What would happen if you do Optical Transform on the double slit, what are you supposed to get? Does it mean trying to predict the interference pattern of the double slit without performing any experiment?
 
fanieh said:
What would happen if you do Optical Transform on the double slit, what are you supposed to get? Does it mean trying to predict the interference pattern of the double slit without performing any experiment?
If you use definition 8, above, I would presume so.
Sorry about the 'soft' answer, the vocabularies in different fields often assign variations in meaning to the same word.
 
fanieh said:
I can't get any definition of this in the net
Try "Mathematical Transform" and then read a few of the links. "Transform", on its own, is far too wide a search term. :wink:
 
Thread 'A quartet of epi-illumination methods'

Thread 'A quartet of epi-illumination methods'

Well, it took almost 20 years (!!!), but I finally obtained a set of epi-phase microscope objectives (Zeiss). The principles of epi-phase contrast is nearly identical to transillumination phase contrast, but the phase ring is a 1/8 wave retarder rather than a 1/4 wave retarder (because with epi-illumination, the light passes through the ring twice). This method was popular only for a very short period of time before epi-DIC (differential interference contrast) became widely available. So...
View full post »

Thread 'Effective absorption coefficient of gold nanoparticles'

I am currently undertaking a research internship where I am modelling the heating of silicon wafers with a 515 nm femtosecond laser. In order to increase the absorption of the laser into the oxide layer on top of the wafer it was suggested we use gold nanoparticles. I was tasked with modelling the optical properties of a 5nm gold nanoparticle, in particular the absorption cross section, using COMSOL Multiphysics. My model seems to be getting correct values for the absorption coefficient and...
View full post »

Thread 'The focal length of the eye and image inversion'

After my surgery this year, gas remained in my eye for a while. The light air bubbles appeared to sink to the bottom, and I realized that the brain was processing the information to invert the up/down/left/right image transferred to the retina. I have a question about optics and ophthalmology. Does the inversion of the image transferred to the retina depend on the position of the intraocular focal point of the lens of the eye? For example, in people with farsightedness, the focal point is...
View full post »

Similar threads

I Question about two interference patterns viewed at infinity
Replies
7
Views
2K
Location of a diffraction pattern
Replies
9
Views
2K
Strange optical phenomenon: lighting a candle in front of a TV screen
Replies
13
Views
5K
I How to couple light from a very small source into spectrometer?
Replies
10
Views
1K
I Prism Spectrometer Objective: Optics Question
Replies
9
Views
2K
A Fourier optics model of a 4f system
Replies
1
Views
3K
I Sagnac Interferometer (Fiber Gyro)
Replies
1
Views
2K
I Quetelet rings on LCD displays?
Replies
3
Views
2K
Photographing diffraction grating interference patterns
Replies
17
Views
2K
I How Can One Derive the Diffraction Pattern Formula from a 1D Aperture?
Replies
2
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top