View source for Physics:Optical instrument

{{Short description|Scientific instrument using light waves for image viewing}}
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[[File:Optical Devices England 1858.jpg|thumb|An illustration of some of the optical devices available for laboratory work in England in 1858.]]
An '''optical instrument''' is a device that processes light waves (or [[Physics:Photon|photon]]s), either to enhance an image for viewing or to analyze and determine their characteristic properties. Common examples include [[Physics:Periscope|periscope]]s, [[Engineering:Microscope|microscope]]s, [[Astronomy:Telescope|telescope]]s, and [[Physics:Camera|camera]]s.

==Image enhancement==
{{Further|Physics:Viewing instrument}}
The first optical instruments were [[Astronomy:Telescope|telescope]]s used for magnification of distant images, and [[Engineering:Microscope|microscope]]s used for magnifying very tiny images. Since the days of Galileo and Van Leeuwenhoek, these instruments have been greatly improved and extended into other portions of the [[Physics:Electromagnetic spectrum|electromagnetic spectrum]]. The binocular device is a generally compact instrument for both eyes designed for mobile use. A [[Physics:Camera|camera]] could be considered a type of optical instrument, with the [[Engineering:Pinhole camera|pinhole camera]] and [[Physics:Camera obscura|camera obscura]] being very simple examples of such devices.

==Analysis==
Another class of optical instrument is used to analyze the properties of [[Physics:Light|light]] or optical materials. They include:

*Interferometer for measuring the interference properties of light waves
*[[Physics:Photometer|Photometer]] for measuring light intensity
*[[Physics:Polarimeter|Polarimeter]] for measuring dispersion or rotation of [[Physics:Polarized light|polarized light]]
*[[Physics:Spectrophotometer|Reflectometer]] for measuring the reflectivity of a surface or object
*[[Physics:Refractometer|Refractometer]] for measuring [[Physics:Refractive index|refractive index]] of various materials
*[[Physics:Spectrometer|Spectrometer]] or [[Physics:Monochromator|monochromator]] for generating or measuring a portion of the [[Physics:Visible spectrum|optical spectrum]], for the purpose of chemical or material analysis
*[[Physics:Autocollimator|Autocollimator]] which is used to measure angular deflections
* Vertometer which is used to determine refractive power of lenses such as glasses, contact lenses and magnifier lens

[[Biology:DNA sequencer|DNA sequencer]]s can be considered optical instruments, as they analyse the color and intensity of the light emitted by a fluorochrome attached to a specific nucleotide of a DNA strand.

[[Physics:Surface plasmon resonance|Surface plasmon resonance]]-based instruments use [[Refractometry|refractometry]] to measure and analyze biomolecular interactions.

== Other types ==
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* [[Engineering:Magic lantern|Magic lantern]]
* [[Engineering:Polarization controller|Polarization controller]]

==See also==
* Scientific instruments

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|url=http://www.funsci.com/fun3_en/lens/lens.htm|first=Giorgio |last=Carboni |title=From Lenses to Optical Instruments|publisher=Fun Science Gallery |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730052546/http://www.funsci.com/fun3_en/lens/lens.htm |archive-date=30 July 2020}}


[[Category:Optical devices|Instruments]]
[[Category:Optical instruments| ]]

{{Sourceattribution|Optical instrument}}