Properties of Light

Abstract

In order to understand the physical properties, design, and fabrication of any display technology, it is essential to have a good appreciation of the basic physics involved in the light sources and materials used in their construction. This does not mean that to be a display engineer you need an in-depth knowledge of Maxwell’s equations, but rather you need to understand the properties of light that lead to its control, propagation, and modulation. Key to this is an understanding of the basic wave properties of light and how this leads to an energy transfer and properties such as polarization which allow light to be controlled and manipulated. From these properties also stems the concept of optical coherence which dictates which set of rules needs to be applied to understand how light interacts with the display technology and its environment. The wave properties of light also dictate many aspects of the display performance from wavelength and color control through to optical efficiency and dispersive effect. These can all be explained and analyzed using often simple properties and models to build a picture of how well a display works. This section is designed to introduce some of the fundamental concepts behind light and its propagation without getting buried in the heavy mathematics or physics which often lies just beneath the surface. By using simple analogies, a very powerful analysis can be performed as long as the correct assumptions are made about the fundamental properties of light, its sources, and propagation.