SPIE - Education Stray Light Analysis and Control SC1199

This course explains the basic principles of designing, building, and testing optical systems whose stray light performance is adequate for their intended purpose. It teaches methods to identify stray light problems in the design phase when they can be most easily and inexpensively fixed, and does not emphasize the use of any particular stray light analysis software, but rather the fundamental principles of radiometry and optical design necessary to use such software effectively. Application of the course material is demonstrated in class by measuring the stray light performance of a simple camera system and comparing the measurement to both first order estimates and detailed ray tracing results. This course explains the basic principles of designing, building, and testing optical systems whose stray light performance is adequate for their intended purpose. It teaches methods to identify stray light problems in the design phase when they can be most easily and inexpensively fixed, and does not emphasize the use of any particular stray light analysis software, but rather the fundamental principles of radiometry and optical design necessary to use such software effectively. Application of the course material is demonstrated in class by measuring the stray light performance of a simple camera system and comparing the measurement to both first order estimates and detailed ray tracing results.