Optics in the Forefront of Airport Security

Coupled with enhanced detection equipment to alert security personnel to the presence of hidden weapons, biometric technologies could prove to be a viable, long term solution to the problem of guaranteeing airline safety.

by Tyler Krupa

Multidimensional Synthesis of Light Fields

In this article we discuss recent developments in the synthesis of optical fields in 3D space and space-time.

by Rafael Piestun

Hamilton's Optics: Characterizing Ray Mapping and Opening a Link to Waves

Because of the simplicity of his characterization of the map from the rays at the entry of an optical system to those at its exit, Hamilton's methods spawned new insights into the limits of system performance. Remarkably, his methods are sometimes dismissed as being either esoteric or overly complicated.

by G. W. Forbes

The Importance of Scatter in Stray Light Analysis

Scatter is a complex phenomenon and scatter data are essential to stray light analysis and surface selection. Conducting a stray light analysis early in the system design process saves time and money in design and manufacturing costs.

by Susan H.C.P. McCall

The 200th Anniversary of Thomas Young's Wave Theory

Thomas Young presented his wave theory of light, which included the phenomenon of interference. Young presented his theory to fellows of the Royal Society in a lecture entitled "On the Theory of Light and Colours." This article describes some of Young's ideas about light, and the response they elicited from his contemporaries.

by Douglas S. Goodman