{{Short description|Field of engineering encompassing light}} {{for|the academic journal|Optical Engineering (journal)}} [[File:The optical system of the ELT showing the location of the mirrors (no annotation).jpg|thumb|300px|The optical system of the ELT showing the location of the mirrors.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|title=ESO Awards ELT Sensor Contract to Teledyne e2v|url=https://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann17027/|access-date=2021-06-24|website=www.eso.org|language=en}}</ref>]]
'''Optical engineering''' is the field of engineering encompassing the physical phenomena and technologies associated with the generation, transmission, manipulation, detection, and utilization of light.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.nap.edu/read/5954/chapter/3|title=Read "Harnessing Light: Optical Science and Engineering for the 21st Century" at NAP.edu|year=1998 |doi=10.17226/5954 |isbn=978-0-309-05991-6 |language=en}}</ref> Optical engineers use the science of optics to solve problems and to design and build devices that make light do something useful.<ref>{{Cite web|title=An Introduction to Optical Design {{!}} Synopsys|url=https://www.synopsys.com/optical-solutions/learn/gentle-intro-to-optical-design.html|access-date=2021-04-11|website=www.synopsys.com|language=en}}</ref> They design and operate optical equipment that uses the properties of light using physics and chemistry,<ref>''Walker, Bruce'' ''H'' (1998). ''Optical Engineering Fundamentals''. SPIE Press. p. 16. {{ISBN|978-0-8194-2764-9}}.</ref> such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, lasers, sensors, fiber-optic communication systems and optical disc systems (e.g. CD, DVD).
Optical engineering metrology uses optical methods to measure either micro-vibrations with instruments like the laser speckle interferometer, or properties of masses with instruments that measure refraction.<ref>''Walker, Bruce H (1998). Optical Engineering Fundamentals, SPIE Press''. p. 16. {{ISBN|978-0-8194-2764-9}}</ref>
Nano-measuring and nano-positioning machines are devices designed by optical engineers. These machines, for example microphotolithographic steppers, have nanometer precision, and consequently are used in the fabrication of goods at this scale.<ref>Manske E. (2019) Nanopositioning and Nanomeasuring Machines. In: Gao W. (eds) Metrology. Precision Manufacturing. Springer, Singapore. {{doi|10.1007/978-981-10-4938-5_2}}</ref>
==See also== * Optical lens design * Optical physics * Optician * Photonics
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * Driggers, Ronald G. (ed.) (2003). ''Encyclopedia of Optical Engineering.'' New York: Marcel Dekker. 3 vols. {{ISBN|978-0-8247-0940-2}} * Bruce H. Walker, Historical Review, SPIE Press, Bellingham, WA. {{ISBN|978-0-8194-7877-1}} {{doi|10.1117/3.818136.ch2}} * FTS Yu & Xiangyang Yang (1997) ''Introduction to Optical Engineering'', Cambridge University Press, {{ISBN|0-521-57493-5}}. * [https://spie.org/x867.xml?WT.svl=mddp13 Optical Engineering] (ISSN [https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=0091-3286&qt=results_page 0091-3286])
{{Engineering fields}} {{Authority control}}
Engineering Category:Engineering disciplines
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