Course Highlights
This course features an extensive set of lecture notes full problem sets available in PDF format.
Watch a video introduction featuring the course instructor.
(RM - 56K) (RM - 80K) (RM - 220K)
Please note that since our Spring 2005 publication, the translated version available from Universia may not have the most current content that is available on the MIT OCW site.
Course Description
This course is an introduction to optical science with elementary engineering applications. Topics covered include geometrical optics: ray-tracing, aberrations, lens design, apertures and stops, radiometry and photometry; wave optics: basic electrodynamics, polarization, interference, wave-guiding, Fresnel and Faunhofer diffraction, image formation, resolution, and space-bandwidth product. Emphasis is on analytical and numerical tools used in optical design. Graduate students are required to complete additional assignments with stronger analytical content, and an advanced design project.
Special Features
Technical Requirements
RealOne™ Player software is required to run the .rm files found on this course site.
*Some translations represent previous versions of courses.