Scatter-minded: Part II

Michael E. Knotts

Warning: Chances are you'll never view the world quite the same once you've done the following experiment! On a bright, sunny day, go outside and look at your thumb. In particular, look very closely at your thumbnail while holding it in direct sunlight (use a small, high-powered magnifier if you've got one handy). You'll see a myriad of tiny grainy looking colored specks. What's going on? You're seeing an effect, most commonly observed with lasers—called speckle by scatter-minded individuals.

Log in or become a member to view the full text of this article.


This article may be available for purchase via the search at Optica Publishing Group.
Optica Members get the full text of Optics & Photonics News, plus a variety of other member benefits.

Add a Comment