Coherent Light from Projectors to Fibre Optics

Sean CubittScreen Studies Conference

University of Glasgow, 1-3 July 2011

This paper is dedicated to Brian O'Brien, lead scientist at American Optical, pioneers of glass fibres, who was distracted from optical communications by a joint venture in Hollywood, perfecting Todd-AO.

15KW Xenon short-arc lamp

Simplex X-L 35mm projectors each lit by Carbon Arc lamp

Diagram of a mirror-lens condenser used in motion-picture projection: (S) light source (electric arc), (M) parabolic mirror, (L) lens, (G) film gate

coma chromatic aberration

200-mm f/2 Canon lens with 17 ele-ments in 12 groups; Canon Spring 2008 EOS System catalog

LEFT: 4-element compound lens fro abandoned rear-projection TV c. 1996

Stan Brakhage, frames from Song XII, 1965

DMD Digital Micromirror device

RIGHT: Daniel Coladon’s light fountain demenostrating toal internal reflection; as used (above) in con-temporary light fountains

schematic for confocal fibre optics