8 Light and Thermal Radiation

8.1 Measurement of Light

Up to this point, we have been concerned mostly with the propagation of light. We looked at light as a ray, and then as a wave in the areas of study known as geometrical and wave optics, respectively. In Chapter 4, we looked briefly at optical power described in units of milliwatts. Then, in Chapters 5 and 6, we spoke of light intensity in relative units only. Before we can go further in our study of electromagnetic radiation, some measurement terminology must be introduced. There are specific terms used in the measurement of quantities such as light intensity, optical power, etc. In the real world, optoelectronic devices are specified using the terms of measurement from radiometry and ...

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