Symmetry in a Perturbed Optical System

2005/03/16 by Jason H. Steffen, Steffen, Jason H.
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Optics (physics.optics) #Physics Education (physics.ed-ph) #physics.ed-ph #physics.optics

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0503129

4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to AJP

arxiv created 2005/03/16 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects that perturbations to an optical system, such as translations or rotations of the optical elements, have on the final location where a light ray strikes a detector. Symmetry arguments are employed to give selection rules for the combinations of those perturbations that can affect the light ray. It is shown that a ``Transverse Parity'' can be assigned to each type of perturbation and that only combinations with an overall odd parity will produce an effect. Some examples of how these results can be applied to undergraduate classroom or laboratory courses are given.

Related

• Breaking symmetry through speed-induced beam-deflection via centrifugation of the light source
• Effect of Diffraction on Wigner Distributions of Optical Fields and how\n to Use It in Optical Resonator Theory. III -- Ray Tracing in Resonators
• Control and characterization of nano-structures with the symmetries of\n light
• A New Calculus for the Treatment of Optical SystemsI Description and Discussion of the Calculus
• Light's symmetry, asymmetry, and their role in nonlinear optics and ultrafast phenomena