Ernst Abbe

Ernst Abbe was a German scientist and physicist who made significant contributions to optics in the late 19th century. He is best known for developing the theory of optical imaging, particularly in microscopy, where he formulated principles that improved the resolution limits of microscopes. Abbe introduced concepts like the numerical aperture, which describes how much light a lens can gather. His work bridged geometrical optics, which deals with light paths and lenses, and physical optics, which addresses the wave nature of light. Abbe's innovations laid the groundwork for modern optical instruments and microscopy techniques.