Prisms are blocks of
optical material with flat, polished sides arranged at precisely
controlled angles. Because small errors can inhibit proper operation,
so angle specifications are critical. Prisms deflect or deviate
light, invert or rotate an image, disperse light into component
wavelengths, and separate polarization states. There are many kinds
of prisms, many of which make use of the property of total internal
reflection (TIR). Light incident upon an air/glass boundary at angles
greater than the critical angle (approximately 42o for visible light
and BK7 glass) is totally reflected.
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