Ray optics education kit

Goal: Main goal of this project was a development of kit for Ray optics demonstration. The system consists of laser source simulating 5 parallel rays (laser ray box) and 2D optical components.

Main features

• Ray box with up to five laser rays. Rays can be switched on and of in three static configurations. Single ray (the middle one), three rays and all five rays.
• Number of different two-dimensional optical components, fabricated of durable plastic transparent in the visible spectral range. For example, focusing and defocusing lenses, prisms, waveguide, focusing and defocusing mirrors.
• Simplified models of different optical devices. Newtonian and Galilean telescopes, human eye, half disk for total internal reflection, road waveguide, microscope, photo camera.
• Set for spherical aberration demonstration and compensation.
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Applications

The system was designed for educational purposes. It allows demonstration of basic geometry optics principles of ray’s refraction and reflection. Determination of the focal length of lenses, mirrors and more complex optical systems. Quantitative description is also possible with more advanced geometry optics models like a thick lens.

Total internal reflection can be demonstrated with a semi disc and road waveguide. Numerical aperture demonstration and calculation.

The kit allows demonstration of some major drawbacks of these systems like spherical aberrations and introduce a way of compensating it.

More information can be found on the project page. In case of interest, do not hesitate to contact me and ask for more information.