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Reference.org
Optical path
open-in-new
<p>Optical path (OP) is the <a href="/facts/Trajectory/STNN33FK">trajectory</a> that a <a href="/facts/Ray_(optics)/PgUEC7Sm">light ray</a> follows as it propagates through an <a href="/facts/Optical_medium/gm6LqshC">optical medium</a>. The geometrical optical-path length or simply geometrical path length (GPD) is the <a href="/facts/Arc_length/QgTrmLxY">length</a> of a <a href="/facts/Curve_segment/xBQ0pTBW">segment</a> in a given OP, i.e., the <a href="/facts/Euclidean_distance/9qDoQKQe">Euclidean distance</a> 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 <a href="/facts/Folded_optics/4RfFoTCu">folded optics</a>. The <i><a href="/facts/Optical_path_length/qpXIMzqz">optical path length</a></i> in a homogeneous medium is the GPD multiplied by the <a href="/facts/Refractive_index/yjkzvgeE">refractive index</a> of the medium. </p>