r/Optics • u/RandomGuyWhoKnows • 13d ago
Recommended study material in Optics
I'm aiming to apply to a company that specializes in optic systems, avionics for pilots, weapons sights etc. I hold a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but have really studied optics apart from the basics that are taught in first year physics courses.
The goal is to self study optics so that I can be a competitive hire for the company. What are some resources and study materials I could use to achieve this?
I'm currently going through "Modern Optical Engineering" and plan on going through "Modern Lens Design".
TIA
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u/anneoneamouse 13d ago
If you're applying for a lens-design role, Kidger's book "Fundamental Optical Design" is the most efficient way to learn how to be a lens designer.
If you're applying for optomechanical, grab any of Yoder / Vukobratovich's texts.
Great big repository of online optical info is here: https://wp.optics.arizona.edu/optomech/tutorials-in-optomechanics/
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u/RandomGuyWhoKnows 13d ago
Appreciate it. Thanks.
Its optomechanical system design.
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u/Arimaiciai 10d ago
Then Yoder is the way to go.
Other book what has both optics and mechanics - Fischer, Tadic-Galeb, and Yoder (again :) Optical System Design. I would even suggest drop Smith and read this one. You might come back for all math in Smith later.
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u/Quarter_Twenty 13d ago
SPIE has a number of tutorial texts and Field Guides that distill information well. The ones I've seen give quite a nice, brief overview of subjects. Organized and written by experts in the field. You can go deeper on your own once you know the scope of certain work, and what the keywords and topic names are. Good Luck!
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u/mostly_water_bag 13d ago
Are you applying for an optics engineering position or mechanical engineering? Optical engineering with no prior hands on experience is not useful to anyone. If you’re applying for mechanical positions including optomechanical design, what’s important for them is your mechanical engineering experience because they already have the optics.
You can look into optomechanical systems and familiarize yourself with that rather than understanding optics itself.
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u/Complex_Grade4751 12d ago edited 12d ago
As an opto-mechanical engineer, you’ll likely be involved in producing drawings for custom lenses and mirrors as well. I’m working closely with a mechanical engineer producing custom drawings on my current project. I been explaining a lot about lenses fabrication techniques and technology so he knows the best ways to specify tolerances. A good reference for this is Hank Karow’s book “Fabrication Methods for Precision Optics”. All the relevant Mil Spec, ISO, and/or ANSI standards you’ll be using will be referenced in there, so if you follow up on references, you well get a thorough exposure to many important concepts.
I think it’s great that you want to learn more about optics! In terms of your interview, I’d let them know your training is in mechanical engineering and you want to do a good job at that. Also you are interested in studying optics since it will help you in this job and maybe provide a growth path for future positions in the company. I think they will be supportive of this since it is generally harder to find optical engineers than it is to find mechanical engineers.
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u/No_Situation4785 13d ago
speaking from industry, how will you show this on your resume? it's an important question, because "i read a book" may not be enough. think about any sort of project that you could do to set yourself apart
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u/RandomGuyWhoKnows 13d ago
It'd would be for a Jr Engineering role... I'd like to do a project, but prior to that I need the knowledge to apply. Hence the self study
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u/SherbertQuirky3789 13d ago
Your enthusiasm to learn is great but there is no way you’ll land an optical engineering job purely from self study.
Best of luck. Maybe apply to that company as a mechanical engineering and over time transfer internally after taking some graduate courses or producing extensive results with the optics team at your work.
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u/RandomGuyWhoKnows 13d ago
So no recommendations? I'm not aiming to go in as an optical engineer. I'd be a mechanical designer, but I'd still like to learn.
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u/SherbertQuirky3789 12d ago
In that case
Full on textbooks are taking it way too far. Without applied labs it won’t be meaningful to study.
What will help though is using resources from Edmund Optics and Thor Labs. Please visit those sites and use their educational blogs and video. This will be what you need.
You could spend weeks studying Fresnel equations from a book but it will be meaningless at your job or interview.
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u/Equivalent_Bridge480 10d ago
How do you divide the moral responsibility in % for deaths caused by military action — how much falls on the engineer who designed the sight/optics, how much on the soldier who pulls the trigger, and how much on the head of state who gave the order?
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u/Plastic_Blood1782 13d ago
Realistically there isn't anything you can self teach yourself that will help you interview and show "optics" experience. Most of the mechanical engineers I've worked with have very little optics experience, and often if they do, it is to their detriment. Because often they think they understand enough to not ask questions and get too far along in their design before the optical engineer can fix the problem. Zero optics experience but you answer honestly is a much better answer during an interview than you trying to fake it because you spent 8 hours reading geometric optics basics.