Editing Optical engineering (section)

{{Short description|Field of engineering encompassing light}}
{{for|the academic journal|Optical Engineering (journal)}}
[[File:The optical system of the ELT showing the location of the mirrors (no annotation).jpg|thumb|300px|The optical system of the [[European Extremely Large Telescope|ELT]] showing the location of the mirrors.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|title=ESO Awards ELT Sensor Contract to Teledyne e2v|url=https://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann17027/|access-date=2021-06-24|website=www.eso.org|language=en}}</ref>]]

'''Optical engineering''' is the field of engineering encompassing the physical phenomena and technologies associated with the generation, transmission, manipulation, detection, and utilization of [[light]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.nap.edu/read/5954/chapter/3|title=Read "Harnessing Light: Optical Science and Engineering for the 21st Century" at NAP.edu|year=1998 |doi=10.17226/5954 |isbn=978-0-309-05991-6 |language=en}}</ref>  Optical engineers use the science of [[optics]] to solve problems and to design and build devices that make light do something useful.<ref>{{Cite web|title=An Introduction to Optical Design {{!}} Synopsys|url=https://www.synopsys.com/optical-solutions/learn/gentle-intro-to-optical-design.html|access-date=2021-04-11|website=www.synopsys.com|language=en}}</ref>  They design and operate optical equipment that uses the properties of light using [[physics]] and [[chemistry]],<ref>''Walker, Bruce'' ''H'' (1998). ''Optical Engineering Fundamentals''. SPIE Press. p. 16. {{ISBN|978-0-8194-2764-9}}.</ref> such as [[Lens (optics)|lenses]], [[microscope]]s, [[telescope]]s, [[laser]]s, [[sensors]], [[fiber-optic communication]] systems and [[optical disc]] systems (e.g. [[CD]], [[DVD]]).

Optical engineering [[metrology]] uses optical methods to measure either micro-vibrations with instruments like the laser [[Speckle imaging|speckle interferometer]], or properties of masses with instruments that measure [[refraction]].<ref>''Walker, Bruce H (1998). Optical Engineering Fundamentals, SPIE Press''. p. 16. {{ISBN|978-0-8194-2764-9}}</ref>

Nano-measuring and nano-positioning machines are devices designed by optical engineers. These machines, for example microphotolithographic [[stepper]]s, have [[Nanometre|nanometer]] precision, and consequently are used in the fabrication of goods at this scale.<ref>Manske E. (2019) Nanopositioning and Nanomeasuring Machines. In: Gao W. (eds) Metrology. Precision Manufacturing. Springer, Singapore.  {{doi|10.1007/978-981-10-4938-5_2}}</ref>