Optic Science
There are many subjects that fall under the banner of optics. The science of light is an extensive subject, and covers many fields appertaining to physics, and yet is considered to be a separate subject in most cases. Sometimes called optical physics, there are different branches of this field, and can be described in many ways.
Describing optics solely in terms of the light that we see is somewhat of an understatement, as the electromagnetic spectrum is based on a series of wavelengths, and therefore includes short rays such as X-rays, infrared and ultra-violet light.
Long wavelength optics that are visible to the naked eye are measured in nanometres. A single red light can measure up to 700nm, where one nanometre is one billionth of a metre. Violet light is shorter as the waves pass at 400nm. As an aside, light travels at a faster rate than sound, as radio waves are measured in centimetres and metres.
The science of optical engineering tends to describe the way in which we see the light, and how the electromagnetic waves connect with physical matter to create the illusion of the colours we see around us. We see these colours in terms of light rays, and are described when the waves of colours travel alongside objects, and the light is bounced off the physical matter to create what is called a ray of light. Light rays are not as simple as they can be made to sound, due to their intricate nature of crossing the boundaries between quantum optics and geometric optics. In addition to this, waves of light can sometimes produce a laser effect, where particles of light cease to be a wave, but more of a stream. This is called photon optics, and is used with lasers and detectors so fall under the quantum optics subject. Typically, because we can see rays of light, geometric optics tend to dominate the topics in terms of optical design.
Providing a bridge for the gap between geometric and physical optics is the Gaussian optic system, which allows calculations of the speed and angles of the light rays at much finer points. The diffraction of the rays with laser radiation is expanded at smaller sizes, but can thus be estimated from its finest visible point and is therefore more accurate than simply calculating the perpendicular waves of light. Physical optics also calculates diffracted light rays and other complex effects, although there is a much higher level of estimation in the numbers unless calculated on a computer.
Collecting and defining the effects of light wavelengths, and applying the science to every day items is called optical engineering. Jobs that fall under this category include many medical professions such as ophthalmology and optometry, and also electrical engineering work. To collect this information, scientists use different lenses.