A phase telescope, although not a commonly used term, generally refers to a type of optical instrument that utilizes the principles of phase contrast microscopy or interferometry to enhance the visibility of transparent or phase-object materials in imaging. The concept is primarily applied in microscopy and imaging systems rather than traditional astronomical telescopes.
Photon diffusion refers to the process by which photons (particles of light) spread out as they scatter in a medium. This concept is particularly relevant in the context of light interacting with materials, especially those that are semi-transparent or opaque, like biological tissues, certain gases, and particulates in the atmosphere. In a medium where photons can scatter, the initial directional input of the light becomes randomized due to collisions with particles within the material.
A hot mirror is an optical filter designed to reflect infrared (IR) radiation while allowing visible light to pass through. It is often used in various applications, including photography, projector systems, and thermal imaging. Hot mirrors are constructed using a thin film coating on a glass substrate, which selectively reflects infrared light (typically wavelengths longer than 700 nm) and transmits visible light (approximately 400 to 700 nm).
An injection seeder is a device or system used in the context of seed germination and agricultural practices, primarily for the purpose of planting seeds in a controlled and efficient manner. The term can refer to various types of equipment or mechanisms that inject seeds into the soil at specified depths and intervals, ensuring optimal growth conditions. In detail, injection seeders operate by embedding seeds directly into the soil, often utilizing a pneumatic or mechanical system to deliver seeds accurately.
The Jamin interferometer is an optical device used to measure the refractive index of materials and to perform precision measurements in various fields such as optics and metrology. It is named after the French physicist Émile Jamin, who developed this interferometric technique. The basic configuration of a Jamin interferometer consists of two beam splitters and two mirrors, arranged in such a way that two beams of light are generated from a single coherent light source.
Knapp's Model of Relational Development, often simply referred to as Knapp's Rule, is a communication theory proposed by sociologist Mark Knapp in 1972. The model outlines how relationships develop and dissolve through a series of stages, categorized into two main phases: the coming together phase and the coming apart phase. ### Coming Together Stages: 1. **Initiating:** This initial stage involves the first interactions and the presentation of oneself. Individuals assess each other for potential compatibility.
Lasing without inversion (LWI) is a phenomenon in quantum optics that refers to a mechanism of producing coherent light (laser light) in a system where the usual requirement for population inversion is not met. Normally, in traditional laser operation, a population inversion is necessary, where more atoms or molecules are in an excited state than in a lower energy state. This population inversion is essential for achieving stimulated emission, the fundamental process that amplifies light in a laser.
A lenslet is a small lens that is typically used in optical systems such as plenoptic cameras, light field sensors, and displays. Lenslets are part of arrays of lenses that help capture or manipulate light in specific ways, enabling features like depth sensing and 3D imaging. In the context of light field technology, for example, lenslets are arranged to capture multiple perspectives of a scene simultaneously. This allows for post-capture changes in focus or perspective.
A mechanical splice is a method used to join two optical fibers together, enabling the transmission of light signals from one fiber to the other. This type of splice does not require fusion (melting the fibers together) but instead uses a mechanical device to align and hold the fibers in place.
The Michelson stellar interferometer is an astronomical instrument used to measure the properties of celestial objects, particularly their angular diameters and surfaces. It is based on the principle of interference of light waves, originally developed by Albert A. Michelson in the late 19th century. The design consists of two main parts: two mirrors and a beam splitter. ### Key Components: 1. **Beam Splitter**: A device that divides incoming light from a star into two separate beams.
"Mir" in the context of lenses or optics is commonly associated with a series of Soviet-made camera lenses, particularly those designed for use with film cameras. The most notable of these is the Mir 37mm f/2.8 lens, which was widely used on various Soviet cameras, including the Zenit line. The name "Mir" translates to "peace" or "world" in Russian, and it reflects a common naming convention for Soviet optics.
A **nanophotonic coherent imager** is an advanced imaging technology that utilizes principles of nanophotonics and coherent light to capture high-resolution images. This type of imager leverages the unique properties of light at the nanoscale to enhance resolution, sensitivity, and performance beyond what traditional imaging systems can achieve.
Near-field optics is a branch of optical science that deals with the study and manipulation of light at distances that are very close to the surface of an optical sample, typically on the order of a few nanometers to a hundred nanometers. This field is particularly relevant in applications where conventional optical techniques, which rely on far-field diffraction limits, are insufficient due to the small scales involved.
Optical chaos refers to chaotic behavior observed in the dynamics of light propagation and interaction in nonlinear optical systems. In such systems, certain parameters, such as the intensity or phase of the light, can lead to unpredictable and complex patterns that are sensitive to initial conditions, which is a hallmark of chaotic systems. Key features of optical chaos include: 1. **Nonlinear Effects**: Many optical materials exhibit nonlinear properties, meaning the response of the material to light does not scale linearly with intensity.
An optical reader, often referred to as an optical scanner or optical character recognition (OCR) device, is a device that uses light to read and interpret information from physical documents or images. It converts text or images into a digitized format that can be processed by computers. ### Key Functions: 1. **Document Scanning**: Optical readers can scan printed documents, photographs, and other types of images to create digital versions.
A reference surface is a baseline or standard surface against which measurements or comparisons are made. The term can be used in different contexts, including engineering, geodesy, fluid dynamics, and more.
The Porro–Abbe prism is an optical component commonly found in binoculars and other optical devices. It is a type of roof prism system that combines the functions of image inversion and image rotation. The prism system is designed to bend the incoming light path in a way that allows for a more compact design, enabling a shorter overall length of the optical instrument. The Porro–Abbe prism typically consists of two prisms arranged in a specific orientation.
Progress in Optics is a well-known series of scholarly books that focus on various topics within the field of optics and photonics.
Quasioptics is a branch of optics that deals with the propagation of electromagnetic waves, particularly in the microwave and millimeter-wave frequency ranges, using techniques and principles that are somewhat distinct from traditional optics. While conventional optics typically focuses on visible light and involves the study of lenses, mirrors, and geometric optics, quasioptics emphasizes the wave nature of electromagnetic radiation and often utilizes structures that behave like optical components but operate at longer wavelengths.
An arpeggio is a musical technique where the notes of a chord are played in succession, rather than simultaneously. This creates a flowing, melodic sound, as the individual notes are articulated one after the other. Arpeggios can be played on various instruments, including piano, guitar, and other string and keyboard instruments. In music notation, arpeggios are often indicated with a zigzag line (or a wavy line) under or above the chord symbol.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 2.
    You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either https://OurBigBook.com or as a static website
    .
    Figure 3.
    Visual Studio Code extension installation
    .
    Figure 4.
    Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation
    .
    Figure 5.
    Web editor
    . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
    Video 4.
    OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo
    . Source.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact