The very word 'optics' makes me remember my high school days when we used to hold convex lenses before a paper and try to get a point-like, focused image of a distant tree, in order to find their focal lengths. I used to be quite mesmerized by the sinister, dark look of an optical bench on each of the few occasions when I saw it, and the way laser light used to traverse complicated paths, producing something even more complicated at the end, as opposed to the jolly-looking high school optics experiments. It eventually became a mnemonic for advanced research, and I was determined to use them on some big, fine day.
Fortunately, today was that big, fine day! The experiment was Laser Doppler Anemometry, involving the use of half-silvered mirrors and some convex lenses to predict the flow rate of a liquid., using the 'bench' and laser light. It was a great relief to have the stands of various apparatuses getting magnetically stuck to the bench, giving me enough time to gaze into the straightness and wonderful 'twinkles' in the path of the laser light, which had imparted an inexplicable dimension of awe to the darkness of the experiment.
Indeed, the whole process of setting up the 'bench' and performing experiments on it was a thoroughly enjoyable one!
Fortunately, today was that big, fine day! The experiment was Laser Doppler Anemometry, involving the use of half-silvered mirrors and some convex lenses to predict the flow rate of a liquid., using the 'bench' and laser light. It was a great relief to have the stands of various apparatuses getting magnetically stuck to the bench, giving me enough time to gaze into the straightness and wonderful 'twinkles' in the path of the laser light, which had imparted an inexplicable dimension of awe to the darkness of the experiment.
Indeed, the whole process of setting up the 'bench' and performing experiments on it was a thoroughly enjoyable one!
