Multiple-prism dispersion theory

The first description of multiple-prism arrays, and multiple-prism dispersion, was given by Newton in his book Opticks.[1] Prism pair expanders were introduced by Brewster in 1813.[2] A modern mathematical description of the single-prism dispersion was given by Born and Wolf in 1959.[3] The generalized multiple-prism dispersion theory was introduced by Duarte and Piper[4][5] in 1982.

Multiple-prism beam expander grating configuration as used in narrow-linewidth tunable laser oscillators[6]
Only in highly symmetric arrangement of thin enough prism, the overall dispersion can be approximated as a sum of individual contributions
  1. ^ I. Newton, Opticks (Royal Society, London, 1704).
  2. ^ D. Brewster, A Treatise on New Philosophical Instruments for Various Purposes in the Arts and Sciences with Experiments on Light and Colours (Murray and Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1813).
  3. ^ M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics, 7th Ed. (Cambridge University, Cambridge, 1999).
  4. ^ F. J. Duarte and J. A. Piper, "Dispersion theory of multiple-prism beam expanders for pulsed dye lasers", Opt. Commun. 43, 303–307 (1982).
  5. ^ F. J. Duarte and J. A. Piper, "Generalized prism dispersion theory", Am. J. Phys. 51, 1132–1134 (1982).
  6. ^ F. J. Duarte, T. S. Taylor, A. Costela, I. Garcia-Moreno, and R. Sastre, Long-pulse narrow-linewidth disperse solid-state dye laser oscillator, Appl. Opt. 37, 3987–3989 (1998).