Study of magnification and angular resolution of a single water droplet placed on a glass surface

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the magnification and angular resolution of a single water droplet positioned on a glass surface, functioning as an optical imaging system. Through theoretical analysis of the droplet's shape, magnification, and angular resolution, we derive predictions that are subsequently validated through experiments. Our study explores the impact of key parameters, including droplet size, the distance between the droplet and the object, and the contact angle, on the aforementioned optical characteristics. Our findings reveal that smaller droplets exhibit higher magnification at shorter object-to-droplet distances and demonstrate superior resolving capability (i.e., smaller angular resolution).