Understanding Optical Transformations

[fanieh]

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.

 

[jerromyjon]

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...

 

[Tom.G]

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.

 

[fanieh]

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?

 

[Tom.G]

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.

 

[sophiecentaur]

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.