In the case of neutrons the refractive index is slightly less than unity for most elements and their isotopes. Consequently, thermal and cold neutrons can be reflected from smooth surfaces at grazing-incidence angles. Hence, the optical technologies developed for x-ray astronomy can be applied for neutron focusing. The focusing capabilities of grazing incidence neutron imaging optics have been ...

The imaging properties of optical microscopes are often compromised by aberrations that reduce image resolution and contrast. Adaptive optics technology has been employed in various systems to correct these aberrations and restore performance. This has required various departures from the traditional adaptive optics schemes that are used in astronomy. This review discusses the sources of aberra...

A summary of focusing X ray polycapillary optics is presented including history, theory, modeling, and applications development. The focusing effects of polycapillary optics come from the overlap of the beams from thousands of small hollow glass tubes. Modeling efforts accurately describe optics performance to allow for system development in a wide variety of geometries. The focusing of X ray b...

There are a number of applications of adaptive optics for basic research in vision science, as it is now possible to study microstructures in the living human retina which could not be done before. One of the biggest merits provided by adaptive optics is that it is non-invasive. In this chapter, we describe the applications of an adaptive optics system for vision research, not only for basic sc...

The close analogy between geometrical optics and the classical theories of charged-particle beam optics have been known for a very long time. In recent years, quantum theories of charged-particle beam optics have been presented with the very expected feature of wavelengthdependent effects. With the current development of non-traditional prescriptions of Helmholtz and Maxwell optics respectively...

To improve ophthalmic adaptive optics speed and compensate for ocular wavefront aberration of high temporal frequency, the adaptive optics wavefront correction has been implemented with a control scheme including 2 parallel threads; one is dedicated to wavefront detection and the other conducts wavefront reconstruction and compensation. With a custom Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor that measure...

Atom optics is the coherent manipulation of the atomic matter waves originally postulated by the developers of quantum mechanics. These pioneers also proposed the use of stimulated light forces to manipulate particles. These ideas have been combined with current technology to produce the field of atom optics. This, in turn, has shed new light on old quantum problems like the which way problem a...

This paper discusses two optical beam control testbeds developed at the Spacecraft Research and Design Center, Naval Postgraduate School, to evaluate and develop control techniques for jitter and adaptive optics control. The first testbed, a Jitter Control Testbed is used to develop control techniques for optical beam jitter. In the second testbed, the Adaptive Optics Testbed, adaptive optics c...