Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Focusing of Light in the Eye

Focusing of Light in the Eye

Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, a transparent dome-shaped tissue that is the eye's outermost layer. The cornea bends or refracts, light rays traveling to the pupil. The shape of the cornea determines how much of the light is bent and whether the image will be focused correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. Once the light has passed through both refraction layers, it converges into a single focal point onto a small area. This is where photoreceptors start transforming...

Sound Waves: Resonance

Sound Waves: Resonance

Resonance is produced depending on the boundary conditions imposed on a wave. Resonance can be produced in a string under tension with symmetrical boundary conditions (i.e., has a node at each end). A node is defined as a fixed point where the string does not move. The symmetrical boundary conditions result in some frequencies resonating and producing standing waves, while other frequencies interfere destructively. Sound waves can resonate in a hollow tube, and the frequencies of the sound...

Standing Waves in a Cavity

Standing Waves in a Cavity

A household microwave and lasers are examples of standing electromagnetic waves in a cavity. When two conducting metal plates are placed parallel at the nodal planes, it creates a cavity where standing waves are formed. The cavity between the two planes is analogous to a stretched string held at the points x = 0 and x = L. Here, the distance 'L' between the two planes must be an integer multiple of half of the wavelength. The wavelengths that satisfy this condition are given by:

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Mediastinoscopic extended thymectomy for pediatric patients with myasthenia gravis.

Journal of pediatric surgery·2015

Same author

Application of the coupled-mode theory to a specialized graded-index optical fiber coupler.

Applied optics·2010

Same author

Geometrical constructions for the virtual centers of unstable optical resonators.

Applied optics·2010

Same author

An optical technique for measurement of gas flow profiles utilizing a ring laser.

Applied optics·2010

Same author

Dihedral optical resonators and prism beam waveguides.

Applied optics·2010

Same author

Unstable optical resonators.

Applied optics·2010

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Stimulated Stokes and Antistokes Raman Scattering in Microspherical Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators

Stimulated Stokes and Antistokes Raman Scattering in Microspherical Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators

Published on: April 4, 2016

Rays and ray envelopes within stable optical resonators containing focusing media.

N Kurauchi¹, W K Kahn

¹Research Division, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Japan.

|January 6, 2010

Summary

This study extends geometric optics to analyze ray envelopes in general resonators with focusing media. Researchers found that the envelope function in convergent media is periodically modulated, offering insights into resonator stability.

More Related Videos

Fabrication and Characterization of High-Q Silicon Nitride Membrane Resonators

Fabrication and Characterization of High-Q Silicon Nitride Membrane Resonators

Published on: August 8, 2025

Rejection of Fluorescence Background in Resonance and Spontaneous Raman Microspectroscopy

Rejection of Fluorescence Background in Resonance and Spontaneous Raman Microspectroscopy

Published on: May 18, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Stimulated Stokes and Antistokes Raman Scattering in Microspherical Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators

Stimulated Stokes and Antistokes Raman Scattering in Microspherical Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators

Published on: April 4, 2016

Fabrication and Characterization of High-Q Silicon Nitride Membrane Resonators

Fabrication and Characterization of High-Q Silicon Nitride Membrane Resonators

Published on: August 8, 2025

Rejection of Fluorescence Background in Resonance and Spontaneous Raman Microspectroscopy

Rejection of Fluorescence Background in Resonance and Spontaneous Raman Microspectroscopy

Published on: May 18, 2011

Area of Science:

Geometric Optics
Resonator Analysis
Wave Propagation

Background:

Previously, ray envelopes in empty resonators were identified with spot size variations.
Existing geometric optical approaches were limited to simpler resonator configurations.

Purpose of the Study:

To extend geometric optical methods to analyze ray envelopes in general resonators.
To investigate the behavior of ray envelopes in resonators with arbitrary lenses and inhomogeneous focusing media.
To correlate envelope characteristics with resonator stability limits.

Main Methods:

Development of an invariant quadratic form for ray segments.
Derivation of a differential equation for ray segments and their envelopes.
Formulation and solution of a maximum-minimum problem for the envelope function.

Main Results:

The envelope function in convergent media exhibits periodic modulation.
The modulation period is solely dependent on the convergent medium's properties.
The location and ratio of envelope maxima/minima depend on both the medium and associated optics.

Conclusions:

The study provides a generalized geometric optical framework for analyzing ray envelopes in complex resonators.
Periodic modulation of the envelope in convergent media is a key finding.
Envelope characteristics are directly correlated with resonator stability limits, offering predictive capabilities.