Geometric optics

Rays
rays point in direction that
light travels
crests occur on wave fronts
Ray Optics
A light ray can be defined by two co-ordinates:
x
in
, u
in

x
out
, u
out

its position, x

its slope, u
Optical axis
x
u
These parameters will change with distance and as the ray
propagates through optics.


Light rays
radiate
from a point
object in all
directions.
Reflection from a
plane mirror.

P is a virtual image.








Objects and images
Object Image
Rays from point
on object reflect
from mirror
Reflected rays
appear to come
from a point
Reflection
Specular reflection
(mirror)
Diffuse reflection
Reflection
The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
- u
i
= u
r
, where both angles are measured from the normal:
Note also, that all rays lie in the plane of incidence
u
i
u
r
u
i
u
r
x
E
i
u
i
E
r
u
r
u u
i r
=
Why?
This law is quite general; we supply a limited justification when
surface is a good conductor,
Electric field lines are perpendicular to the conducting surface.
The components of E parallel to the surface of the incident and reflected
wave must cancel!!
Law of reflection
u
u
Planar reflecting
surface (mirror)
u = angle of incidence
u = angle of reflection
Law of reflection
u u = '
Refraction
But it is really here!!
He sees the
fish here.
Index of Refraction
The wave incident on an interface can not only reflect, but it can also
propagate into the second material.
Claim the speed of an electromagnetic wave is different in matter than it is in
vacuum.
Recall, from Maxwells eqns in vacuum:
c =
1
0 0
c

n =
c
v
How are Maxwells eqns in matter different?
- c
0
c ,
0

Therefore, the speed of light in matter is related to the speed of light
in vacuum by:
1 n
0
> k =
c
c
~ where n = index of refraction of the material:
The index of refraction is frequency dependent: For example
n
blue
> n
red

Light inside a medium
Light interacts with particles inside materials
This slows down the light
The speed of light inside a medium is less than c
c
v
n
=
n is called the index of refraction
It is always bigger than 1
Material n
Air 1.000
Water 1.333
Glass 1.6
Diamond 2.419
Law of refraction
u
1

u
1
= angle of incidence
u
2
= angle of refraction
Snells Law
2 2 1 1
sin sin u u n n =
n
1

n
2

u
2

( n
2
> n
1
in diagram )
Refraction
Law of Refraction
(Snells Law)
n
1
sinu
1
= n
2
sinu
2
Refraction
Low to high index, light bends towards the normal line.
High to low index, light bends away from the normal line.
n
1
< n
2
n
1
sinu
1
= n
2
sinu
2
n
1
> n
2
n
1

n
2

Two simple effects
Object underwater appears
to be at a shallower depth
2
1
sin
n
n
C
= u
Total internal reflection
u
C

Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
sinu
c
= n
2
/ n
1
Critical Angle
Required:
n
1
> n
2

u
1
> u
c

TIR can only occur if
1. light goes from high index to low index AND
2. angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle
Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
n
1
n
2
u
c

water to air 1.33 1 48.8
glass to air 1.5 1 41.8
glass to water 1.5 1.33 62.5
Examples
Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
Total Internal Reflection
u
1

u
2

1 1
2
2
sin
sin
n
n
u
u =
What happens if the expression on the right
is bigger than one?
If the expression on the right is one or
bigger, than all the light gets reflected
1
2
sin
1
c
n
n
u
=
2
1
sin
c
n
n
u =
Called total internal reflection
Total internal reflection occurs only
when light moves into a medium of
lower index of refraction
Total internal reflection, Critical angle
1
2
sin
n
n
c
= |
1
u
n
2
n
1
> n
2
Incident
light
Transmitted
(refracted) light
Reflected
light
k
t
TIR
Evanescent wave
k
i
k
r
( a ) ( b )
( c )
Light wave travelling in a more dense medium strikes a less dense medium. Depending on
the incidence angle with respect to , which is determined by the ratio of the refractive
indices, the wave may be transmitted (refracted) or reflected. (a) (b) (c)
and total internal reflection (TIR).
2
|
1
|
c
|

90
2
= |
c
| | >
1
c
|
c
| | <
1
c
| | =
1
c
| | >
1
Critical angle
1
2
sin
n
n
c
= |
A light beam enters on the left in air, and we
want it to be reflected by the block of
glass. Do we have total internal reflection
in this case?
A) Yes
B) No
C) Insufficient Information
What if water gets
behind the prism?
Total Internal Reflection
Material n
Air 1.000
Water 1.333
Glass 1.6
Diamond 2.419
2
1
sin
c
n
n
u =
45
o

45
o
90
o

45
o

1 1
2
1
1
sin sin 38.7
1.6
C
n
n
u

| |
| |
= = =
|
|
\ .
\ .
1
2
1
sin
c
n
n
u

| |
=
|
\ .
Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
Application: Optical Fiber
clad
core
Optical Cable
Single Fiber
Optical Fiber
Prisms
down bends Light
sin sin
2 1
2 1
u u
u u
>
= n
down bends Light
sin sin
4 3
4 3
u u
u u
<
= n
u
1
u
2
Entering
u
3
u
4
Exiting
For air/glass interface, we
use n(air)=1, n(glass)=n
Prisms
u
1
u
2
u
3
u
4
Overall Deflection
At both deflections the amount of downward deflection
depends on n (and the prism apex angle, |).
Different colors will bend different amounts !
|
Dispersion
The amount by which light slows down can
depend on the wavelength of the light
The amount by which the light is bent can
depend on the wavelength of the light
1 1 2 2
sin sin n n u u =
For most materials, short wavelengths (blue)
are slowed more than long wavelengths (red)
White light (mixture of all
colors) gets split into its
constituent colors
c
v
n
=
Refraction & Dispersion
Light is bent and the resultant colors separate (dispersion).
Red is least refracted, violet most refracted.
Short wavelengths are bent
more than long wavelengths
rac
LIKE SO! In second rainbow
pattern is reversed