A branch of physics that describes the behaviour of light and the interaction of light with matter.
Classical Optics
- reflection
- refraction
- diffraction
- dispersion
- ray and wave theories of optics
- Fourier optics
- geometric optics of:
- lenses
- mirrors
- prisms
Modern Optics
- quantum optics
- lasers
- holography
- crystal optics
- nonlinear optics
The field of optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, infrared and ultraviolet light; however since light is a electromagnetic wave, analogous phenomena occur in X-rays, microwaves, radio waves, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Optics can thus be regarded as a sub-field of electromagnetism