Systems

doi:10.1117/3.2553485.ch17

Systems

Book: Photonics Rules of Thumb, Third Edition

Author(s): John Lester Miller, Katie Schwertz, Edward J. Friedman, John N. Sanders-Reed, Brian K. McComas

Published: 2020

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.2553485.ch17

Author Affiliations +

Abstract

The ultimate goal of most photonics research and development is to create systems that generate quality information, often (but not always) in the form of images with high information content to be acted on by a machine or viewed by a human. The trend is not just to produce “pretty” images but rather actionable information content by employing image exploitation algorithms. Systems (such as the example shown in Fig. 17.1) represent the integration of myriad optical, structural, electronic, and mechanical systems into a group of things that work together to execute some function. The challenge presented to managers and project engineers is to “get it all right” across a multitude of disciplines. As we see in the set of rules presented in this chapter, some key and underlying factors are reliable aids for system-design analysis and optimization.