Achromatic: Definition, History, and References
Definition
Achromatic refers to an object that has no color or hue, and is made up of only black and white. The term achromatic is derived from the Greek words achromos and achromatikos, which mean “without color” (Shepherd, 2016). An achromatic object has no color or hue, and is typically a neutral color such as gray or white.
History
The history of achromatic objects dates back to the early 1800s, when scientists began to experiment with achromatic lenses in order to reduce chromatic aberration in optical systems. Chromatic aberration is the phenomenon caused by light refracting differently through different colors of the visible spectrum, thus causing colored fringes around objects (Körner & Körner, 2018). The first achromatic doublet lens was developed in 1817 by the French mathematician and astronomer Joseph-Nicolas Delisle (1738-1817) (Körner & Körner, 2018).
The first achromatic objective lens was developed in 1838 by the German astronomer and physicist Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787-1826). Fraunhofer’s invention was a major breakthrough in optics, as it allowed for improved resolution of stars and planets (Körner & Körner, 2018). Since then, achromatic lenses have been used in a variety of applications, such as microscopes, telescopes, and cameras.
References
Körner, C., & Körner, E. (2018). A history of optics from Greek antiquity to the nineteenth century. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Shepherd, N. (2016). A dictionary of scientific terms. London, UK: Routledge.