Acousto-Optic Tuneable Filters, or AOTFs, are devices used to filter light with the ability to control the filter via a radio frequency (RF) input. These handy optical filters have a wide range of applications and have seen growing demand in recent years – the future is bright for AOTFs. What is an acousto-optic filter? In […]
Absorption filters and interference filters can have seemingly similar results – such as passing only a particular colour of light for use in photographic and cinematic applications. It’s not unusual for a scientific product to be known by two different names, but that’s not the case here. Absorption filters and interference filters are two very […]
Dielectric mirrors offer very high reflectivity over a specific wavelength region, using thin-film deposition to create a dielectric stack with alternating high-low refractive index. Also known as a Bragg mirror, the result is a reflector with higher reflectivity than a metallic mirror – which is why dielectric mirrors are also sometimes called ‘high reflectors’. What […]
Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to generate electricity from sunlight, starting from the very near infrared range and taking in much of the visible light spectrum, depending on the materials used and certain other characteristics of the solar panel itself. The effect is similar to the photoelectric effect, when a photon hits a surface […]
Photometry is the general term used for observing astronomical objects by measuring the light coming from them. Optical filters have an important role to play in this, by helping to define the spectrum of light that is observed. This may seem counterintuitive, since optical filters alter the observed signal, but it restricts the waveband to […]
