Fundamentals and techniques of nonimaging optics research at the University of Chicago: Technical progress report
Nonimaging Optics differs from conventional approaches in its relaxation of unnecessary constraints on energy transport imposed by the traditional methods for optimizing image formation and its use of more broadly based analytical techniques such as phase space representations of energy flow, radiative transfer analysis, thermodynamic arguments, etc. Based on these means, techniques for designing optical elements which approach and in some cases attain the maximum concentration permitted by the Second Law of Thermodynamics were developed. The most widely known of these devices are the family of Compound Parabolic Concentrators (CPC's) and their variants and the so called Flow-Line or ''trumpet'' concentrator derived from the geometric vector flux formalism developed under this program. Applications of these and other such ''ideal'' or ''near-ideal'' devices permits increases of typically a factor of four (though in some cases as much as an order of magnitude) in the concentration above that possible with conventional means. A comprehensive review of the development of the whole field through mid-1983 was presented in the previous renewal proposal and will not be repeated here. In the most recent phase, our efforts can be classed into two main areas; (a) ''classical'' geometrical nonimaging optics; and (b) logical extensions of nonimaging concepts to the physical optics domain. 8 refs., 1 fig.
- Research Organization:
- Chicago Univ., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-84ER13178
- OSTI ID:
- 6725255
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/13178-3; ON: DE87006917
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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