Off the beaten path with total internal reflection

Lorne A. Whitehead; Michele A. Mossman

doi:10.1117/12.692260

12 July 2006 Off the beaten path with total internal reflection

Lorne A. Whitehead, Michele A. Mossman

Proceedings Volume 6342, International Optical Design Conference 2006; 63420U (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.692260
Event: International Optical Design Conference 2006, 2006, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Abstract

This paper begins by "re-introducing" the phenomenon of total internal reflection and the associated critical angle, including a careful discussion of the extent to which the "total" in TIR is truly total, and the "critical" in critical angle is truly critical. Although in one sense these points are largely of theoretical interest, they also have an applied aspect in relation to controlling TIR. From this perspective, two practical applications of TIR are discussed. The first involves illuminating engineering applications with prism light guides, and the second concerns electronic image displays employing frustrated TIR. In both cases the unique attributes of TIR play a key role in the efficiency and practicality of these applications.

Citation Download Citation

Lorne A. Whitehead and Michele A. Mossman "Off the beaten path with total internal reflection", Proc. SPIE 6342, International Optical Design Conference 2006, 63420U (12 July 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.692260

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