Editing Optical table (section)

==Rails and benches==
[[Image:Laser DSC09088.JPG|thumb|right|A helium-neon laser on an optical bench.]]
An '''optical bench''' or '''optical rail''' is a simpler piece of hardware that provides a linear (or sometimes curved) track along which to mount optical elements. They are often used for simple experiments, especially for classroom demonstrations. Such rails are typically made of steel and designed to be very stiff, with features that allow holders for optical components to be bolted down and easily shifted along the length of the rail. Rails are common in laser assemblies where the beam path travels on a single axis.

A more sophisticated example is the [[silicon carbide]] ceramic toroidal optical bench in the [[Gaia (spacecraft)|Gaia spacecraft]] (illustrated), which supports several optical instruments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sci.esa.int/gaia/45330-the-gaia-torus-is-complete/ |title=The Gaia torus is complete |publisher=European Space Agency |date=July 28, 2009 |access-date=Jan 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sci.esa.int/gaia/45335-schematic-diagram-of-the-gaia-torus/ |title=Schematic diagram of the Gaia torus |publisher=European Space Agency |date=July 28, 2009 |access-date=Jan 4, 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Schema-gaia-cutCleanReduce.png|thumb|left|Diagram of [[Gaia (spacecraft)|Gaia space observatory]]. Item 1 is the toroidal optical bench.]]
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