This index provides a comprehensive reference to major topics, concepts, and terms discussed throughout the optics textbook. Entries are organized alphabetically with chapter references.
1A¶
Aberration, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Accommodation (eye), Optical Instruments
Amplitude, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Angular frequency, Wave Equations · Interference and Coherence
Anisotropic materials, Polarization
Antireflection coatings, Geometrical Optics · Polarization
Aperture, Optical Instruments · Scalar Diffraction Optics
Astigmatism, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
2B¶
Bandwidth, Interference and Coherence
Beam splitter, Interference and Coherence
Birefringence, Polarization
Brewster’s angle, Geometrical Optics · Polarization
3C¶
Camera, Optical Instruments
Candela, Nature of Light
Chromatic aberration, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Circular polarization, Polarization
Coherence, Interference and Coherence
Coherence length, Interference and Coherence
Coherence time, Interference and Coherence
Collimation, Geometrical Optics
Color, Nature of Light · Optical Instruments
Complex amplitude, Wave Equations
Cones (eye), Optical Instruments
Confocal microscopy, Advanced Optical Microscopes
Constructive interference, Interference and Coherence · Scalar Diffraction Optics
Cornea, Optical Instruments
Critical angle, Geometrical Optics · Fiber Optics
Cross-polarization, Polarization
Crystal birefringence, Polarization
Cylindrical lens, Optical Instruments
4D¶
Degree of coherence, Interference and Coherence
Degree of polarization, Polarization
Destructive interference, Interference and Coherence · Scalar Diffraction Optics
Dichroic mirror, Advanced Optical Microscopes
Diffraction, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Diffraction grating, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Diffraction limit, Scalar Diffraction Optics · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Dipole, Nature of Light
Dispersion, Geometrical Optics · Fiber Optics
Diopter, Optical Instruments
Double refraction, Polarization
5E¶
Electromagnetic spectrum, Nature of Light
Electromagnetic waves, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Elliptical polarization, Polarization
Emission, Lasers
Energy levels, Lasers
Etalon, Interference and Coherence
Evanescent waves, Geometrical Optics · Fiber Optics
Eye, Optical Instruments
6F¶
Fabry-Perot, Interference and Coherence
Far field, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Fermat’s principle, Geometrical Optics
Fiber optics, Fiber Optics
Field of view, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Fluorescence, Advanced Optical Microscopes
Focal length, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments
Focal point, Geometrical Optics
f-number, Optical Instruments
Fraunhofer diffraction, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Frequency, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Fresnel coefficients, Geometrical Optics
Fresnel diffraction, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Fresnel equations, Geometrical Optics
Fresnel lens, Optical Instruments
Fresnel zones, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Fringe, Interference and Coherence · Scalar Diffraction Optics
7G¶
Gain, Lasers
Gaussian beam, Lasers
Gaussian optics, Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Geometrical optics, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Gradient index fiber, Fiber Optics
Grating, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Group velocity, Wave Equations · Fiber Optics
8H¶
Half-wave plate, Polarization
Harmonic oscillation, Wave Equations
Holography, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Huygens principle, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Hyperopia, Optical Instruments
9I¶
Image formation, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments
Immersion, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Impedance matching, Geometrical Optics
Index matching, Fiber Optics
Intensity, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Interference, Interference and Coherence
Interferometer, Interference and Coherence
Iris, Optical Instruments
Irradiance, Nature of Light
Isotropic, Polarization
10J¶
Jones matrix, Polarization
Jones vector, Polarization
11K¶
Kerr effect, Polarization
12L¶
Laser, Lasers · Fiber Optics
Lasing threshold, Lasers
Lateral magnification, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments
Lens, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Lens maker’s equation, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Light, Nature of Light
Linear polarization, Polarization
Lloyd’s mirror, Interference and Coherence
Longitudinal mode, Lasers
Luminance, Nature of Light
Luminous intensity, Nature of Light
Lux, Nature of Light
13M¶
Magnification, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Magnifying glass, Optical Instruments
Material dispersion, Fiber Optics
Matrix method, Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Maxwell equations, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Metallic reflection, Geometrical Optics
Michelson interferometer, Interference and Coherence
Microscope, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Microwave, Nature of Light
Miller indices, Polarization
Mode, Lasers · Fiber Optics
Mode locking, Lasers
Modulation, Polarization
Monochromatic light, Interference and Coherence
Monomode fiber, Fiber Optics
Multimode fiber, Fiber Optics
14N¶
Nanometer, Nature of Light
Near field, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Near point, Optical Instruments
Nearsightedness, Optical Instruments
Newton’s rings, Interference and Coherence
Nonlinear optics, Polarization
Nonpolarized light, Polarization
Normal incidence, Geometrical Optics
Numerical aperture, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes · Fiber Optics
15O¶
Object distance, Geometrical Optics
Objective, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Oblique incidence, Geometrical Optics
Optical activity, Polarization
Optical axis, Polarization · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Optical cavity, Lasers
Optical fiber, Fiber Optics
Optical instruments, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Optical path length, Geometrical Optics · Interference and Coherence
Optical power, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Optical pumping, Lasers
Optical rotation, Polarization
Optical thickness, Geometrical Optics
Optics, Nature of Light
Order of diffraction, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Ordinary ray, Polarization
Oscillation, Wave Equations
16P¶
Paraxial approximation, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Paraxial optics, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Partial coherence, Interference and Coherence
Partially polarized light, Polarization
Particle nature, Nature of Light
Path difference, Interference and Coherence
Phase, Wave Equations · Interference and Coherence
Phase contrast, Advanced Optical Microscopes
Phase matching, Polarization
Phase velocity, Wave Equations
Photon, Nature of Light · Lasers
Photoreceptor, Optical Instruments
Planck constant, Nature of Light
Plane wave, Wave Equations · Interference and Coherence
Plano-convex lens, Optical Instruments
Polarimeter, Polarization
Polarization, Polarization
Polarization analyzer, Polarization
Polarizer, Polarization
Population inversion, Lasers
Power (optical), Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments
Principal planes, Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Principal points, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Prism, Geometrical Optics
Propagation, Geometrical Optics · Wave Equations · Fiber Optics
Pupil, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
17Q¶
Quarter-wave plate, Polarization
Quantum efficiency, Optical Instruments
Quantum mechanics, Nature of Light · Lasers
18R¶
Radiance, Nature of Light
Radiant intensity, Nature of Light
Ray, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Ray equation, Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Ray matrix, Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Ray tracing, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Rayleigh criterion, Scalar Diffraction Optics · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Rayleigh scattering, Fiber Optics
Reflection, Geometrical Optics
Reflectance, Geometrical Optics
Refracting telescope, Optical Instruments
Refraction, Geometrical Optics
Refractive index, Nature of Light · Geometrical Optics · Fiber Optics
Resonator, Lasers
Resolution, Scalar Diffraction Optics · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Retina, Optical Instruments
Rods, Optical Instruments
19S¶
Scalar diffraction theory, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Scattering, Nature of Light · Fiber Optics
Sensitivity, Optical Instruments
Single mode, Fiber Optics
Singlet state, Lasers
Snell’s law, Geometrical Optics
Solid angle, Nature of Light
Solid state laser, Lasers
Source, Nature of Light · Interference and Coherence
Spatial coherence, Interference and Coherence
Spatial filter, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Spectral distribution, Interference and Coherence
Spectrometer, Optical Instruments
Spectrum, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Spherical aberration, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
Spherical mirror, Geometrical Optics · Optical Instruments
Spherical wavefront, Wave Equations · Scalar Diffraction Optics
Slab waveguide, Fiber Optics
Snell window, Geometrical Optics
Standing wave, Lasers
Step index fiber, Fiber Optics
Stimulated emission, Lasers
Stokes parameters, Polarization
Stokes shift, Advanced Optical Microscopes
Superposition, Wave Equations · Interference and Coherence
20T¶
Telescope, Optical Instruments
Temporal coherence, Interference and Coherence
Thick lens, Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Thin lens, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Thin lens equation, Geometrical Optics · Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Three-level system, Lasers
Threshold, Lasers
Total internal reflection, Geometrical Optics · Fiber Optics
Transverse, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Transverse mode, Lasers · Fiber Optics
Triplet state, Lasers
Two-level system, Lasers
21U¶
Ultraviolet, Nature of Light
Unpolarized light, Polarization
22V¶
Vector diffraction, Scalar Diffraction Optics
Velocity, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Visibility, Interference and Coherence · Scalar Diffraction Optics
Vitreous humor, Optical Instruments
23W¶
Wave, Wave Equations
Wave equation, Wave Equations
Wave front, Wave Equations · Scalar Diffraction Optics
Wave number, Wave Equations
Wave optics, Wave Equations · Interference and Coherence · Scalar Diffraction Optics
Wavefront, Wave Equations
Waveguide, Fiber Optics
Wavelength, Nature of Light · Wave Equations
Working distance, Optical Instruments · Advanced Optical Microscopes
24X¶
X-ray, Nature of Light
25Y¶
Young’s double slit, Interference and Coherence · Scalar Diffraction Optics
26Z¶
Zeeman effect, Lasers
Zone plate, Scalar Diffraction Optics
27How to Use This Index¶
This index lists major concepts and topics covered in the optics textbook, with chapter references showing where each topic is primarily discussed. Topics are organized alphabetically for easy lookup.
Chapter Labels:
chapter:basics- Nature of Lightchapter:geo- Geometrical Opticschapter:inst- Optical Instrumentschapter:pol- Polarizationchapter:wave- Wave Equationschapter:coh- Interference and Coherencechapter:diff- Diffractionchapter:laser- Laserschapter:adv- Advanced Optical Microscopeschapter:fiber- Fiber Opticschapter:ray- Ray Vectors and Ray Matrices
Tip: Multiple chapter references indicate that a concept is discussed across multiple chapters, with the listed chapters providing the most comprehensive coverage. Use the glossary (Glossary of Optical Terms) for detailed definitions of technical terms.