Feature

Hamilton's Optics: Characterizing Ray Mapping and Opening a Link to Waves

G. W. Forbes

Because of the simplicity of his characterization of the map from the rays at the entry of an optical system to those at its exit, Hamilton's methods spawned new insights into the limits of system performance. Remarkably, his methods are sometimes dismissed as being either esoteric or overly complicated.

Publish Date: 01 November 2001