Optics (Symbols)¶
Symbols related to optics.
- relative_refractive_index¶
Relative refractive index of of an optical medium is a dimensionless number that gives the indication of the light bending ability of that medium. It is defined relative to a certain medium.
- Symbol:
n- Latex:
\(n\)
- Dimension:
dimensionless
- radiant_exitance¶
Radiant exitance or radiant emittance is the radiant flux emitted by a surface per unit area.
- Symbol:
M_e- Latex:
\(M_\text{e}\)
- Dimension:
power/area
- radiant_flux¶
Radiant flux or radiant power is the radiant energy emitted, reflected, transmitted, or received per unit time.
- Symbol:
Phi_e- Latex:
\(\Phi_\text{e}\)
- Dimension:
power
- focal_length¶
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light; it is the inverse of the system’s optical power. It is the distance between the focal plane and the lens’s nodal point.
- Symbol:
f- Latex:
\(f\)
- Dimension:
length
- optical_distance¶
Optical distance, also called optical path length, is the length that light needs to travel through a vacuum to create the same phase difference as it would have when traveling through a given medium.
Links:
- Symbol:
Lambda- Latex:
\(\Lambda\)
- Dimension:
length
- irradiance¶
In radiometry, irradiance is the radiant flux received by a surface per unit area.
Links:
- Symbol:
E_e- Latex:
\(E_\text{e}\)
- Dimension:
power/area
- transparency_coefficient¶
The transparency coefficient is used to describe how much light an imperfect polarizer absorbs, zero being a total absorption and one being a perfect polarizer that lets all light pass through.
- Symbol:
k- Latex:
\(k\)
- Dimension:
dimensionless
- reflectance¶
The reflectance of the surface of a material is its effectiveness in reflecting radiant energy.
Links:
- Symbol:
R- Latex:
\(R\)
- Dimension:
dimensionless
- magnification¶
Optical magnification is the ratio between the apparent size in an image and its true size.
Links:
- Symbol:
M- Latex:
\(M\)
- Dimension:
dimensionless
- optical_power¶
Optical power, also callled dioptric power or focusing power, is the degree to which a lens, mirror, or other optical system converges or diverges light.
- Symbol:
D- Latex:
\(D\)
- Dimension:
1/length