OPTICAL DEVICESBy;:Jerome S. Del Castillo Grade 10 –Atlas

What are Optical devices?Optical devices

manipulate light waves to aid in viewing or analyzing those waves to determine properties of the object in view.

An optical device either processes light waves to enhance an image for viewing, or analyzes light waves (or photons) to determine one of a number for characteristics properties.

Stereoscope

an optical device for viewing

stereoscopic photographs

Optical Microscope

is a type of microscope which uses visible light and

a system of lenses to magnify

images of small samples.

Optical Telescope A telescope that

gathers and focuses light,

mainly from the visible part of

the electromagnetic spectrum, to create a magnified image

for direct view.

Rochon Prism

optical device that produces

plane-polarized ultraviolet light)

Autofocus

an optical device for

focussing a camera or

other instrument

automatically)

Optical Prism

 optical device having a triangular shape and made of glass or quartz; used to deviate a beam or invert an

image.

Projector

an optical device for

projecting a beam of light

Polarimeter

an optical device used to measure

the rotation of the plane of vibration of polarized light

Nicol Prismoptical device that produces

plane-polarized light

Optical Maser

an acronym for light

amplification by stimulated emission of

radiation; an optical device

that produces an intense

monochromatic beam of coherent

light

Laser

Kerr Cell

optical device consisting of a

transparent cell with two electrodes

between two polarizing media; passes light

only if the two planes of polarization are parallel; used as a

high-speed shutter or to modulate a laser

beam.

View Finder

optical device that helps a

user to find the target of interest

Diffraction Grating

optical device consisting of a

surface with many parallel grooves in

it; disperses a beam of light (or other electromagnetic radiation) into its wavelengths to

produce its spectrum.

Collimator

optical device consisting of a tube containing a convex

achromatic lens at one end and a slit at the other with the slit at the focus of the lens;

light rays leave the slit as a parallel beam

Coelostat

optical device used to follow the path of a celestial body and reflect

its light into a telescope; has a movable and a

fixed mirror

Camera Lucida

an optical device consisting of an attachment that

enables an observer to view simultaneously the

image and a drawing surface for sketching it

Biprisman optical device for obtaining interference fringes

How does photovoltaic cells

work?

What is Photovoltaic cell? Photovoltaic is the direct conversion of

light into electricity at the atomic level. Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric current results that can be used as electricity.

The diagram above illustrates the operation of a basic photovoltaic cell, also called a solar cell. Solar cells are made of the same kinds of semiconductor materials, such as silicon, used in the microelectronics industry. For solar cells, a thin semiconductor wafer is specially treated to form an electric field, positive on one side and negative on the other. When light energy strikes the solar cell, electrons are knocked loose from the atoms in the semiconductor material.

If electrical conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides, forming an electrical circuit, the electrons can be captured in the form of an electric current -- that is, electricity. This electricity can then be used to power a load, such as a light or a tool.

A number of solar cells electrically connected to each other and mounted in a support structure or frame is called a photovoltaic module. Modules are designed to supply electricity at a certain voltage, such as a common 12 volts system. The current produced is directly dependent on how much light strikes the module.