General Science

Foundational physics and environmental knowledge for photonics work. Reference utilities covering units, mechanics, geometry, light fundamentals, vibration, magnetism, vacuum, and humidity.

8 topics

Units & Conversions

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SI units, photonics-specific units, and conversions. Wavelength/frequency/wavenumber calculators, power/energy conversion.

Vibration Fundamentals

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Physics of vibration for optical systems — oscillation, resonance, damping theory, frequency domains, tuned vs. broadband.

Force & Mechanics

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Force, torque, mechanical loading for optical systems — payload calcs, cantilever deflection, clamping, static vs. dynamic loading.

Geometry for Optical Alignment

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Applied geometry for optical layout — beam path trig, fold mirror angles, periscope geometry, height matching, 3D spatial reasoning.

Light Fundamentals

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What light is — wave-particle duality, EM spectrum, photon energy, speed in media, polarization intro, coherence.

Magnetism in Photonics

When and why magnetic fields matter — non-magnetic materials, Faraday rotation, shielding, applications requiring non-magnetic hardware.

Comprehensive — coming soonAbridged — coming soonTools — coming soon

Vacuum Science for Optics

Vacuum fundamentals for photonics — pressure regimes, outgassing, contamination, vacuum-compatible materials, atmosphere effects on UV/IR.

Comprehensive — coming soonAbridged — coming soonTools — coming soon

Humidity & Environmental Effects

Humidity and environmental conditions on optical systems — moisture absorption, fogging, hygroscopic materials, dew point, cleanroom standards.

Comprehensive — coming soonAbridged — coming soonTools — coming soon

All information, equations, and calculations have been compiled and verified to the best of our ability. For mission-critical applications, we recommend independent verification of all values. If you find an error, please let us know.