Of Petsval, Pitch and Profit

When the venerable Optical Society of America took it upon itself to sponsor a series of "Workshops on Optical Fabrication and Testing," I do not believe any of those involved knew what to expect. I gather that this departure from the esoteric in¬tracies of coherence theory, lens design, and quantum electronics and entry into the much more practical realm of abrasives, pitch, and production technology was in response to a vague realization that sooner or later most theories and/or system designs must be proven in the cold, cruel world.

by Richard F. Weeks