Practical electronics for optical design and engineering This book provides a functional overview of electronics and an appreciation for how knowledge of electronics can enhance optical engineering projects. The first six chapters focus on a wide range of circuits that are fundamental to understanding and working with electronics. This presentation is supplemented by techniques for making electronic measurements and for moving data from the sensor to the computer. The next seven chapters introduce electronic devices of interest to optical engineers and build on the earlier chapters. Examples are provided throughout the book that range from simple calculations to sample MATLAB scripts. The aim of the MATLAB based examples is to support an understanding of the fundamentals and relationships behind the electronics and to provide a starting point for creating customized code Introduction to electronics Common electronic circuits and components Linear amplifiers Useful op amp circuits Digital electronics Instrumentation signal conditioning and filters Solar cells and rechargeable batteries Photodiodes Quad cells and position sensitive detectors Proportional integral derivative controllers Strain gauges Stepper motors and actuators High and higher voltage Circuit boards connectors and packaging Tying it all together: from sensor to computer