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Field Guide to Optics Education: ATribute to John Greivenkan,p SPIE Field Guides
Volume FGS3
J. ScottTyo, Series Editor
Eric Pepper, Guest Editor
SPIE PRESS
Bellingham, Washington USA
Publishedby SPIE
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Phone:+1360.676.3290
Fax:+1360.647.1445
Email:books@spie.org
Web:http://spie.org
Copyright©2022SocietyofPhoto-OpticalInstrumentationEngineers (SPIE)
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedor distributedinanyformorbyanymeanswithoutwrittenpermissionofthe publisher.
Thecontentofthisbookreflectstheworkandthoughtoftheauthor.Every efforthasbeenmadetopublishreliableandaccurateinformationherein, butthepublisherisnotresponsibleforthevalidityoftheinformationorfor anyoutcomesresultingfromreliancethereon.
AbouttheCover
Thefrontcoverforthis FieldGuide isinspiredbySPIE’sLensestie, designedbyJohnGreivenkampandSPIEstaff.Theimageisan interpretationofaphotographofapileoflenses,withdetailsdepicting lightpropertiessuchastransparency,shadows,reflection,refraction,and dispersion.
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
Firstprinting2022. Forupdatestothisbook,visithttp://spie.organdtype “FG53” inthesearch field.
2022isalandmarkyearfortheSPIE FieldGuide series.It isour19th yearofpublishing FieldGuides,whichnow includesmorethan50volumes,andweexpectanotherfour titlestopublishthisyear.Theserieswasconceived, created,andshapedbyProfessorJohnGreivenkampfrom theUniversityofArizona.Johncameupwiththeideaofa 100-pagehandyreferenceguideforscientistsandengineers.Hewantedthesebookstobethetypeofreference thatprofessionalswouldkeepintheirbriefcases,ontheir labbench,orevenontheirbedsidetable.Theformatofthe seriesisunique:spiral-boundina500 by800 format,thebook liesflatonanypagewhileyourefertoit.
Johnwastheauthorofthefirstvolume,theseminal Field GuidetoGeometricalOptics.Thisbookhasbeenan astoundingsuccess,withnearly8000copiessoldandmore than72,000downloadsfromtheSPIEDigitalLibrary.It continuestobeoneofthestrongestsellingtitlesinthe SPIEcatalog,anditistheall-timebest-sellingtechnical bookfromSPIEPress.Thesubsequentseveral Field Guides wereinkeyopticalareassuchasatmospheric optics,adaptiveoptics,lithography,andspectroscopy.As timewenton,theseriesexploredmorespecializedareas suchasoptomechanics,interferometry,andcolorimetry.In 2019,Johncreatedasub-series,the FieldGuidetoPhysics, withvolumesonsolidstatephysics,quantummechanics, andoptoelectronicsandphotonics,andafourthvolumeon electromagneticstobepublishedthisyear.Alltold,the serieshasgeneratedmorethan$1.5millioninprintsales andnearly1milliondownloadssinceeBooksweremade availableontheSPIEDigitalLibraryin2011.
John’simpactontheprofessionthroughthe FieldGuide seriesisimmense.RivalpublishersspeaktoSPIEPress withenvyoverthisgoldennuggetthatwehave,andthisis allthankstohim.Johnwastakenfromusalltooearly,and tohonorhiscontributiontotheprofessionthroughthis series,heiscommemoratedinthe2022FieldGuides.
WewillmissJohnverymuch,buthislegacywillgoonfor decadestocome.
ValeJohnGreivenkamp!
J.ScottTyo
SeriesEditor,SPIEFieldGuides Melbourne,Australia,June2022
JohnGreivenkamp,2020SPIEPresidentandFounding Editorofthe FieldGuideSeries.
Foreword IfirstmetJohnwhenhewasa22-year-oldfirst-year graduatestudentattheOpticalSciencesCenter(OSC)at theUniversityofArizona.DuringhistimeatOSC,hetook threeofmyclasses,andIrememberhimasavery personable,dedicatedstudent.WhenJohngraduated,he wenttoworkattheKodakResearchLabsinRochester, NewYork,butwekeptintouch.About10yearsafterhe graduated,weinvitedJohntoapplyforafacultyposition. Luckilyforus,heacceptedandquicklybecameoneofour mostvaluableprofessors.
Johnwasalifelonglearner,whowasconstantlygrowing andevolving.Hewasanexcellentteacherandmentorfor ourstudentsandwaswell-knownfortheopticsdemonstrationsheusedtohelpstudentsunderstandthebasic conceptshediscussedinclass.Hewasanexpertonthe historyofopticsand,onhisown,hecreatedaworld-class antiqueopticsmuseumatOSC.Johnalsounderstoodthe importanceofprofessionalsocietiesandwasdeeply involvedwithbothOpticaandSPIE.Heservedas presidentofSPIEin2020andearlier,togetherwiththe SPIEstaff,hecreatedtheconceptofanopticsFieldGuide andservedasthefirsteditoroftheFieldGuideseriesfrom 2004to2020.Hence,itisveryfittingthatSPIEishonoring Johnwiththisspecial FieldGuidetoOpticsEducation.
FieldGuidesaretypicallywrittenbyindividualexpertsin aspecifictechnicalarea.However,asstatedintheemail thatwassenttothecontributorsforthisfieldguide, “The goalforthis FieldGuide istopresentacollectionofthe perspectives,insights,andevensecretsofindividualswho throughouttheirprofessionalcareershaveachievedgreat respectasteachersandmentorsinoptics.Contributions canrangefrombestpracticestothebestlessonthatyou hopegetspassedontofuturegenerationstolessons learnedfromyourownmentorand/orfavoriteprofessor. Oryoumightsimplywriteaboutyourpersonalphilosophy/ approachtotheteachingofoptics.” Ithinkwhenyouread theshortarticlesinthisFieldGuideyouwillagreewithme
Foreword thattheresultsarefantastic.Ihavelearnedsomething fromeachofthem.
ThisFieldGuidefeaturescontributionsfrommorethan50 leadingopticsandphotonicseducatorsfromaroundthe world.ContributorsincludeJohn’steachers,John’ speers, John’sstudents,andevenstudentsofJohn’sstudents,as wellasthosehetaughtthroughhisSPIEactivities.Idon’t havespacetomentionallofthepiecesincluded,butletme mentionjustafewtogiveyouaflavorofthebook.
Oneofmyfavoritepiecesemphasizestheimportanceofa teacherbeingkind youcanbefirmandtough,butyou mustbekind.Severalsubmissionsdescribebasicoptical principles,butthedescriptionsaredifferentfromwhatwe normallyhearorread,showingthattherearemany differentwaystodescribethesametopic.Therearepieces givingguidelinesforwritingscientificpublications,aswell ashowtoteach.Otheronestalkabouttheimportanceof understandinghardwareandnotjusttheory,whichwasan importantpartofJohn’steaching.Thereareseveral articlesaboutotherprofessorswhohadalargeinfluence ontheauthor’slife itisamazinghowmuchateachercan influenceastudent’slife.Thereareevenarticlesonwhat wehavelearnedaboutteachingduringthepandemic.
Lastly,letmementionthatsomeofmyfavoritearticlesin thisFieldGuidedescribeaparticularauthor’sexperiences withJohn.Johncertainlytouchedalotofpeopleandthere aremanygreatremembrancesofhim.Ithinkyouwill enjoythisFieldGuideasmuchasIdo.
Happyreading!
June2022
JamesC.Wyant
Preface InJanuary2022SPIEandtheopticsprofessionatlargelost agiantofourcommunity,Prof.JohnE.Greivenkampofthe WyantCollegeofOpticalSciencesattheUniversityof Arizona.Johnhadalonganddistinguishedcareerinoptics, buthismostimpactfulcontributionwasasaneducator.He directlyimpactedhundreds,ifnotthousands,ofstudentsas theinstructorfortheintroductorygeometricopticscourses intheundergraduateandgraduateprogramsatthe UniversityofArizona,andmanymorethroughtheshort courseshetaughtthroughSPIEandothervenues.He indirectlyimpactedahostofstudentsandprofessionals throughhis FieldGuidetoGeometricalOptics book.John alsoservedSPIEinjustabouteverymannerimaginable.In 2020hewasPresidentoftheSociety.Heservedmultiple termsasamemberoftheSPIEBoardofDirectors,andwas committeechair,conferencechair,andshortcourseinstructormanytimesover.Hewasalwaysavailabletofulfilany duty–formalorinformal–professionalorpersonal.
WhileJohn’scontributionstoSPIEweremyriad,hismost uniqueandprobablymostenduringlegacywasthe creationofthe FieldGuide bookseries.Heservedas foundingSeriesEditoruntil2020,andhis FieldGuideto GeometricalOptics isthearchetypeofthegenre.Itremains tothisdaythemostpopulartechnicalbookinSPIE’ s catalog.SPIEhasnowpublishedmorethan50Field Guidesandhasinitiatedsubseriestoextendcoverageinto otherimportantfieldssuchasfundamentalphysics.John’ s impactthroughtheFieldGuideserieswillcontinuefor decades.
UponlearningofJohn’suntimelypassing,SPIEwantedto findanappropriatewaytohonorhisuniqueandlasting legacy.Anobviouschoicewasthis FieldGuidetoOptics Education:ATributetoJohnGreivenkamp becauseitties togetherJohn’spassionsforeducationandservicetothe opticscommunity.
InplanningthisFieldGuide,weaskedanumberof educatorsandindustryleaders,manyofwhomwereJohn’ s
Preface colleaguesandcollaborators,toreflectontheimportanceof educationintheircareersandtoprovideinsightsintotheir approachestoteachingandmentoringstudentsandyoung professionals.Wegavethecontributorsveryfewconstraints,andtheresultwasanincrediblydiverserangeof essays.
Theseessaysareorganizedintofourbroadcategoriesthat reflectthevariednatureofthecontributions: Perspectives; TeachingMethodologiesandParadigms;SpecificLessons; and Reminiscences .Wehopethatyou,thereader,find somethinginthisbookthattakesyouastepfurtheron yourownjourneyinopticseducationasateacher,student, orboth.ForthoseofyouwhodidnotknowJohnpersonally, wehopethatyougainsomeinsightintothevalueheplaced oneducation.Andforthoseofyouwhowereluckyenough tocountJohnamongyourfriendsandcolleagues,wehope thesestoriesbringateartoyoureyeandremindyouofthe passionJohnbroughttohiswork.
Acknowledgments SPIEisgratefultoeachcontributorfortheirinspirational storiesandperspectivesonsuchanimportantandtimeless topic.Theresponsetocontributeonshortnoticewas amazing.
Wealsothankthereviewers,KatieSchwertz,Matthew Jungwirth,andCraigOlson,fortheirtimelyandconstructivefeedback.
PhotographsfromtheMuseumofOptics,WyantCollege ofOpticalSciencesweregraciouslyprovidedbyAmeé Hennig,ManagerofMediaContentattheWyantCollegeof OpticalSciencesattheUniversityofArizona.Weare gratefultoshareimagesfromoneofJohn’sotheroptics passionsinthistext.
Thisbookwouldnothavehappenedwithoutthesupportof ourmanysponsors.Thegoalwastomakethistitle accessibletotheinternationalopticscommunitybothin printandonline,anditisonlypossiblethankstotheir
Preface generosity.Thisbookwillreachmanythousandsof students,teachersandmentors,andaspiringscientists andengineersthanksto:Alluxa,APOMA,ArcherOpTx, ArizonaTechnologyCouncil OpticsValley,CREOL, EdmundOptics,EscoOptics,LaCroixPrecisionOptics, Lumedica,MontanaStateUniversity,Optimax,OptoSigma,PrecisionOptical,QuartusEngineering,Spectrogon,SydorOptics,Thorlabs,UniversityofRochester, WyantCollegeofOpticalSciences,UniversityofArizona, andZygo.
Andfinally,thisbookwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithout thededicationandhardworkoftheteamatSPIEPress. SpecialthankstoDaraBurrows,KatieSinclair,GinaGabl, CarrieBinschus,andIngridTaylorforhelpinguspulloff theimpossible.
Thankyouall!
J.ScottTyo, SPIEFieldGuide SeriesEditor
EricPepper,GuestEditor
PatrickFranzen,SPIEDirectorofPublications
Prologue1 IoftenremarktomychildrenthatIhaveneveractually hadarealjobinmylife.After18yearsofchildhoodand adolescence,Iwenttocollegeandthengraduateschool. Foracoupleofyearsinthelate1990sIpretendedtoenter theworkforce,butonecanhardlycallbeingaresearcherat theU.S.AirForceResearchLab “work.” Afterthatbrief stint,Iformallyenteredtheacademy,whereIhavetaught atuniversitiesintheUnitedStatesandAustraliaforthe past25years.Oneofthemostamazingthingsaboutbeing aprofessionaleducatoristhatyouareactuallyastudent.I havelearnedsomethingneweverytimeIhavetaughta course,andthoseinsightsandconceptshavehadadirect impactonthecontributionsIhavemadeasaresearcher. Beingastudentisalifelongjourneythat,atleastforme, hasneverstopped.
In2006,ImovedtotheUniversityofArizonawhereImet JohnGreivenkampforthefirsttime.JohnandIhadmany opportunitiestointeractaroundeducationsinceweboth taughtafallsemester,compulsory,first-yearcourseinthe OpticsPhDprogram.Wediscussedstudents,assessment, marking,content,andphilosophymanytimes.Onepoint aboutJohnthatsticksinmymindiswhenhetoldmethat, initially,hedidnotseehimselfasan “expert” in geometricaloptics.However,hededicatedhimselfover decadestobeingthebestpossibleteacherofgeometrical opticsthathecouldbe.Oneofthespecificfeatureshe broughttohisteachingwastheuseofpracticalexamples. WhenJohnwalkedtohislectures,hewouldalwaysbe pullingaluggagecartwithabinfullofopticsdemonstrationsthatheusedtohelphisstudentsseetheconcepts theywerebeingaskedtolearn.
WhenIleftArizonain2015tomovetoAustralia,Ididnot necessarilythinkofJohnasoneofmyclosestprofessional colleagues.However,whenlocatedontheoppositesideof theworld,Ifoundmyselfincreasinglyreachingouttohim foradviceonleadership,service,andeducation,aswellas forpersonaladviceaboutsomeofthemedicalissuesthat heandIshared.Johngaveme,alongwithmycolleague
Prologue1 AndreyAlenin,thechancetowritetwoFieldGuides,and theseweretransformativeexperiencesforalifetime student.Theamountoflearningneededtodistilla complicatedtopicinto300wordsandapicturethatfiton asinglepageisincredible,anditisincrediblyrewarding.
In2019,Johnaffordedmeoneofthemostamazing professionalhonorsIhavereceivedwhenhecontacted meonbehalfoftheselectioncommitteetoinvitemetotake ontheroleof FieldGuide SeriesEditor.Thiswas humbling,flattering,andterrifying,allatthesametime. TheFieldGuides are John,andIwasnotsureIcouldlive uptohisexpectations.Thoughthisisnotthefirstvolume publishedinmytermaseditor,itrepresentsaninflection pointintheserieswhereJohn’sdirectinfluenceends.We allgettoseewherewegofromthefoundationhebuilt.
TheimportanceofJohntomewasdrivenhomeonlytwo weeksago.Adifficultissuearosearoundthepublicationof oneoftheupcomingvolumes,andmyimmediatethought wastodropJohnamessagetogethisinsight.Iwas saddenedwhenIrememberedIcouldnolongerdothat.I thenrealizedthatIcanstillaskJohnforadvice,butthat advicewillnolongercomeinhisvoice,butwillinstead comethroughthewisdomheimpartedonmethroughour 15yearsoffriendship.NomatterhowIdecidetodealwith theissuesIfaceinthefuture,Johnwillhavecontributedto thosedecisions.
J.ScottTyo MonashUniversity
Prologue2 JohnGreivenkampandtheSPIEFieldGuides JohnGreivenkampfirstjoinedtheSPIEPublications Committeeinthelate1990s.Hechampionedpractical publicationsthathelpedpeopleunderstandandsolverealworldproblems.John’sacumenledtohisappointmentas committeechairin1999–2000,andagainfrom2011–2013. IwasSPIEstaffDirectorofPublicationsduringthis period,andJohnandIestablishedarapportand friendship.WeenjoyedgettingtogetheratSPIEconferences,orinTucsonorBellingham,wherewebrainstormed publishingstrategiesandnewprojectideas,mostoften overdinner.
AsIcametoknowJohnbetter,Isawthathederivedhis greatestprofessionalsatisfactionfromteachingaswellas servicetotheopticscommunitythroughhisnumerous committeeandleadershippositionswithinOSA(now Optica)andSPIE.
TheideaoftheFieldGuideswasfirstsuggestedtomeby someoneaffiliatedwithSPIE,butitwasjustafuzzy concept,evokedbythefieldguidespeopleusetohelpthem identifybirds,flowers,andobjectsinthenightsky.How woulditfitopticalscienceandengineering?
Johnacceptedthechallenge,eventuallyforminganidea thatresonatedwiththisfieldguideconstruct.Johnandthe SPIEstaffenvisionedaseriesofconcise,portablebooks encapsulatingkeyconcepts,formulas,andtablesina handyreferenceformatforuseinthelab or,indeed,in the field.Onecouldeasilycarrythesesmallbooksina briefcaseorbackpacktorefertoasneeded.ThePublicationsCommitteegavetheFieldGuidesabigthumbsup andappointedJohnastheSeriesEditor.
TheFieldGuideswereneverintendedtobetraditional textbooksormonographs.Theywouldbeshort 100orso pages,withoneortwopagespersubtopic,includingkey definitions,diagrams,andequations.Theywouldbespiral FieldGuidetoOpticsEducation
Prologue2 JohnGreivenkampandtheSPIEFieldGuides
boundandcompact,aswellassuccinct,comprehensive, andrigorouslyorganizedandedited.
SPIEbookserieseditorschoosethetopicsandrecruitthe authors.JohnwantedtowritethefirstFieldGuideto establishaconsistentformatforallfutureFieldGuides,so hegottoworkonthe FieldGuidetoGeometricalOptics. Oncehehadcompletedseveraltopicalentries,hebegan invitingauthors,usingthesamplepageshehadwritten andformattedastheexample.Theinvitedauthors mirroredJohn’senthusiasm,andtheseriessprangtolife.
Sincethe2004launchwiththe FieldGuidetoGeometrical Optics,SPIEhaspublishedmorethan50FieldGuides. Countlessengineers,scientists,students,andteachersin diversetechnicalfieldsandsettingshaveusedand benefittedfromthem.NewFieldGuideswillcontinueto beaddedundertheguidanceofJohn’ssuccessor,ScottTyo. Theseriesremainsaliveandwell.
JohnwasproudoftheFieldGuidesandalwaysgratefulfor theamazingworkoftheauthors,reviewers,andSPIEstaff whocreatedthem.Iknowhewouldbepleasedbythis Field GuidetoOpticsEducation andmovedthatsomany educatorsandindustryleadersherespectedhaveparticipatedinitscreation.Johnwouldbeespeciallygladifthose whoreaditreapsomethingvaluablefromit.
Prologue2 JohnGreivenkampandtheSPIEFieldGuides Johnspeakingon “SPIEeBooks:affordableand accessibleeducationalresourcesforstudents,teachers,and practicingengineers,” atalkwejointlypresentedtothe SpecialLibrariesAssociationin2017.
EricPepper,GuestEditor June2022
Perspectives Paperthroughantiqueoperaglasses (photocredit:WyantCollegeofOpticalSciences, UniversityofArizona).
A.J.Welch(right)enjoysabreakwithcolleaguesand traineesatthe1995NATOAdvancedStudyInstitutein Erice,Sicily.StevenJacques(left)andJenniferBarton (secondfromleft).
ThePowerofKindness JenniferBarton
TheUniversityofArizona,USA ThemostimportantlessonIlearnedfrommymentorwas thepowerofkindness.
Ofcourse,Ilearnedlotsoftechnicalthingsaswell:the diffusionapproximation,MonteCarlomodeling,heat transport,howtoaligncrankyoldlasers,andwhyitisso difficulttotreatport-winestains.Ialsolearnedthe professionalskillsthateverytraineeneeds:howtowrite amanuscript,presentaposter,draftaproposal,and approachscarybig-nameresearchersatconferences.
Allofthetechnicalandprofessionallessonswerecritically important,buttherealreasonmymentorA.J.Welchhas suchalegacyisthathevaluedpeopleoverprojects.His researchwashighlyimpactful someofhispublications havethousandsofcitations buthistruelegacyishis dozensoftraineesinleadershippositionsingovernment, academia,andindustry.A.J.wasunfailinglypatientand kind,andthatattitudewascriticalforhistrainees’ successes.Ifyoucouldn’tgetanassignmenttowork,orif youjustbrokeanirreplaceablehand-builtlaser(Istill cringeatthatmemory),heletyouknowthathebelievedin you,andthatthesituationwouldworkout.Hisattitudeled tocreativethinking,hardwork,andcamaraderie,sothat situationsalmostalwaysdidworkout.
I’vetriedtotakeA.J.’slessoninkindnessandemploythem inthelabandclassroom.It’shard!Kindnesscanbe mistakenforpassivityorevenweakness,butnothingis fartherfromthetruth.Kindnessisempathywithaction viewingthesituationfromanother’sperspective,discerningwhatthepersonneeds,andprovidingitasbestas possible.Kindnesstakesstrength,compassion,andalotof energy.Herearethreethoughtsonkindness:
1. Bekind;youdon’tknowwhatothersaregoingthrough. Collegeisachallengingtimeunderthebestof circumstances,anditgotharderduringthepandemic. IteachalargeFreshmanclass,and,althoughInever askforpersonaldetails,studentshavevolunteeredthat theymissedclassorassignmentsbecausetheywereat thebedsideofadyingfamilymember,atemergency counseling,orbeingevaluatedafterasexualassault.To showkindness,Itrytobeagoodcommunicator,avoid assumptionsorjudgements,andfocusonlearning ratherthanarbitrarybenchmarksandschedules.
2. Beingkinddoesn’tmeanbeingeasy.Itisnotakindness tolowerstandards,ortoletatraineeavoidresponsibility.Inthelongrun,thislowersself-esteemiftheperson realizesthattheyarenotperforming,orelseitleadstoa distortedviewofrealityiftheydon’tcometothat realization.Forme,schedulesmaybeflexible,but communication,effort,andhighqualityarenot.Itisa kindnesstotellatraineethattheyarenotmeeting expectationsandtomakeknowntheconsequencesof their(in-)actions.Thishardconversationhopefully leadstodiscoveringtherootoftheproblemand developmentofaremedy.Veryrarely,thekindestthing todomaybetoendtherelationship.
3. Bekindtoyourself.Truekindnesstootherscanonly comewhenwearekindtoourselves.Weallmake mistakes,getaffrontedataperceivedslight,growtired andtaketheeasypathratherthantherightone,and, overall,actasfalliblehumanbeings.Beingkind, forgivingyourself,andyetstillholdingyourselfaccountableandstrivingtodobetterarecriticallyimportant.
Learningtobekindisajourney.Butthepowerofkindness issostrongthat,evenimperfectlyexecuted,kindness leavesalegacythatlivesinthetraineeswhoaretouched byit.Payitforward!
TellingtheStoryofOptics HansZappe
UniversityofFreiburg,Germany AsagraduatestudentatUCBerkeley,manyyearsbefore thebeautyanddiversityofopticsseducedmeintonew scientificdirections,Idiscoveredhowtrulytalented teacherswereabletorevealthewondersofelectronics, hiddenamongstobtuseanalogcircuitsorintractable transistorphenomena,andtherebynurturewhatwould becomealifelongfascinationwiththechallengesof engineering.
Yetmyrolemodelasateacherwasnotanengineer.Itwas PaulFeyerabend,whowouldambleintoapackedlecture hall,swinghimselfupontoatableinfront,andspendthe subsequenthoursholdingforthonthephilosophyand historyofscience.Howdidhesosuccessfullyengagethe attentionofahundredormoreyoungstudents,who listened,enraptured,withoutmakingapeep?Hetolda story.Certainly,alongandcomplexstory,withsubplots andancillarythreads,butastory,nonetheless.AndIam certainthateveryweek,everyonelearnedsomethingfrom hisstory.
Whatdoesthishavetodowithteachingoptics?Alot. Opticsisafieldthatbrilliantlylendsitselftobeingtaught asastory,anditisinitstellingthatwecancaptivateand motivateourstudents.Let’sconsideranexample,onethat everylaypersonwilllikelyimaginewhenwespeakabout optics:thesimplerefractivelens.Thestoryofthelens spanstimeandspace,andwecaneasethestudentintothe topicbylookingbacktoseehowahumblecurvedpieceof glasshasfascinatedandchallengedcenturiesofthinkers andtinkerers.WehearnameslikeWillebrordSnelland AntonievanLeeuwenhoek,perhapsErnstAbbeorJoseph vonFraunhofer,andarriveatourmodernunderstanding ofhowalensworks.Withthat,themathematicaltoolboxis opened,andthestorycontinueswithrulesandmethods: rulesforquicklydetermininghowlightraystraversea lensandmethodsforcalculatingtheserulesindetail.
Admittedly,thisisthehardpartofthestory,butthe attentivestudentwillseehowwegothere.
Thatstudentmightthenthinkthatwearenowapproachingthedenouement,butno.Oneofthereallyappealing thingsaboutopticsisthat,formanyofthebasicconcepts, shecanseetheseforherselfinreallife.So,theyarnweare spinningmovestothelab,andwithhardwarethatany undergraduatecanhandle,weshowthatthemethodsand rulesthatsoclearlyexplainedwhat should happentoa lightbeamasitencountersalensactuallydescribewhat does happen.Andatthesametime,thisexperiment suggeststhatthereisevenmoretothestorythanhasbeen told,sinceanyonewhohaspickedupalenstomeasureit knowsthatthosemethodsandrulesdon’texplain everything thathappens.So,thestudentsplungeintoanother opticssubplotandfindthatthestoryisevenricherthan theyoriginallythought.
So,asteachersofoptics,wecanandshouldtellthe fascinatingstoriesofwhichourfieldconsists.Because,as opticalstorytellers,wedon’tjustprovidetools,weprovide appreciationandcontext,whichwillgomuchfurtherin inspiringourstudentstocontinueweavingthetale themselves.
