Confocal
geometry
In geometry two conics are called confocal if they have the same focal points .
The set of all ellipses with the same focal points forms a family of ellipses in which no ellipses intersect. Likewise, no two hyperbolas with the same focal points intersect . In contrast, a hyperbola always intersects all confocal ellipses at right angles .
optics
In optics, two optical systems are called confocal if they have a common focal point .
These can be, for example, the illumination and observation beam paths of a confocal microscope or the concave end mirrors in a confocal laser resonator .
Lenses that are telecentric on both sides are made up of two confocally arranged lenses .
See also
- Confocal technology
- Focaloid
- Hyperbola Navigation (Application)