INSTRUMENTAL OPTICS 179

Fig. 4.13

(c) The emergent ray is parallel to the incident ray when returning
to the same medium although there is relative displacement.
This factor is used in the parallel plate micrometer.

4.24 Refraction through triangular prisms

When the two refractive surfaces are not parallel the ray may be
bent twice in the same direction, thus deviating from its former direc-
tion by an angle D.
Itcan be seen from Fig. 4.14 that

A = ft + ft (4.10)

and D = (a, - ft) + (cl,- ft) (4.11)

= (a 1+ a 2 )-(ft + ft) (4.12)

i.e. D = (a, + a2 ) - A (4.13)

Thus the minimum deviation occurs when a, + Og = A (4.14)

If A is small, then
a = /x/3

and D = /ift + /xft -A

= Mft+ft)-^
= AQi-1) (4.15)