ABSTRACT
Various optical components are used in systems designed for imaging, illumination, recording and viewfinding roles. A beamsplitter is an optical device which divides incident radiation into two or more portions, usually of unequal percentages, and which may also be further differentiated by separate wavelength bands. An optical flat is an optical element of finite thickness with both sides accurately plane-parallel. Prisms are blocks of homogeneous optical material with various facets and faces polished accurately flat and angled to a high degree of precision, 3 to 4 seconds of arc being typical for a roof prism. Prismatic devices are used in front of camera lenses for special effects involving multiple images. The outer images are invariably severely distorted and show chromatic aberrations. Charge coupled devices is basically a linear or area array of small photodetector elements of doped silicon which accumulate electrical charge proportional to the incident light.
