Optical path

 ( Physical Optics ) 

Optical path ( OP) is the trajectory that a light ray follows as it propagates through an optical medium. The geometrical optical-path length or simply geometrical path length ( GPD) is the arc length of a curve segment in a given OP, i.e., the Euclidean distance integrated along a ray between any two points.

The mechanical length of an optical device can be reduced to less than the GPD by using folded optics. The optical path length in a homogeneous medium is the GPD multiplied by the refractive index of the medium.

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Factors affecting optical path Path of light in medium, or between two media is affected by the following:

• Reflection
• Total internal reflection
• Refraction
• Dispersion of light
• Absorption

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Simple materials used

• Lenses
• Prisms
• Transparent materials (e.g. )
• Translucent materials (e.g. frosted glass)
• Opaque materials

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