The laws of ray tracing tell us what happens to a ray as it propagates through space or when it intersects a refractive or reflective surface.
- Maxwell’s equations help us understand light as an electromagnetic wave.
- When a wave is incident upon an interface between one optical medium and another (for example, from air into a polymer optical surface), one portion of the light is refracted into the second medium, and another portion is reflected back into the incident medium.
- The mathematical relationship to calculate the amount of light reflected and transmitted is usually known as Fresnel equations.
- For typical materials used for visible light (polymers and glasses), approximately 4 to 5% of the incident light is reflected.
Here is an example: In a system with four air-spaced lenses, there are eight air-polymer or polymer-air interfaces. If 4% of the light is reflected at each interface, the fractional transmitted energy in the main image is only 0.968 = 0.72. In other words, somewhat less than 75% of the light is being used to form the image. The remaining 28% of the light (Fresnel reflection loss) doesn’t just disappear – some of it can make its way to the image, reducing contrast or producing out-of-focus ghost images.
Apollo Optical Systems has been providing polymer optical solutions for tactical, automotive and life science markets since 1989. We work closely with our customers to deliver simple components to complex multi-part assemblies. Located in Rochester NY, the optics capital of the world, we support our customers with single-point diamond turning, polymer injection molding and robotics, thin film coating, machining and tooling, and a fully equipped metrology suite.
Unlock the precision and innovation of our injected polymer optic parts and diamond-turning process. Contact us at info@apollooptical.com to discover how we can elevate your next project.
About Dr. Dale Buralli
Dale Buralli received his BS in physics from MIT in 1983 and his PhD in optics from the University of Rochester in 1991. Since 2003, Dr. Buralli has been the chief scientist at Apollo Optical, and is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Rochester, teaching geometric optics.
