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OpticsApplicationExamples

Application1:DetectorSystems|Application2:SelectingtheRightLens|Application3:BuildingaProjectionSystem
APPLICATION1:DETECTORSYSTEMS
Everyopticalsystemrequiressomesortofpreliminary
design.Gettingstartedwiththedesignisoftenthemost
intimidatingstep,butidentifyingseveralimportant
specificationsofthesystemwillhelpestablishaninitialplan.
Thefollowingquestionswillillustratetheprocessof
designingasimpledetectororemittersystem.
Goal:WhereWilltheLightGo?
Althoughsimplelensesareoftenusedinimaging
applications,inmanycasestheirgoalistoprojectlightfrom
onepointtoanotherwithinasystem.Nearlyallemitters,
detectors,lasers,andfiberopticsrequirealensforthistype
oflightmanipulation.Beforedeterminingwhichtypeof
systemtodesign,animportantquestiontoansweris"Where Figure1:PCXLensasFOVLimitinDetector
willthelightgo?"Ifthegoalofthedesignistogetall
Application[ViewLargerImage]
incidentlighttofilladetector,withasfewaberrationsas
possible,thenasimplesingletlens,suchasaplanoconvex(PCX)lensordoubleconvex(D C X)lens,canbeused.
Figure1showsaPCXlens,alongwithseveralimportantspecifications:Diameterofthelens(D1 )andFocalLength(f).
Figure1alsoillustrateshowthediameterofthedetectorlimitstheFieldofView(FOV)ofthesystem,asshownbythe
approximationforFullFieldofView(FFOV):
(1.1)

Or,bytheexactequation:
(1.2)

Fordetectorsusedinscanningsystems,theimportantmeasureistheInstantaneousFieldofView(IFOV),whichisthe
anglesubtendedbythedetectoratanyinstantduringscanning.
(1.3)

Figure2:InstantaneousFOV[ViewLargerImage]

Figure3:PCXLensasFOVLimitinEmitterApplication
[ViewLargerImage]
Consideredinreverse,Figure1canalsorepresentanemittingsystem(Figure3),withthelensusedtocollimatethelight.
Thissetupwillbethepremiseoftheapplicationexample.
LightTransmission:HowMuchLightExistsInitially?
Knowingwherethelightwillgoisonlythefirststepindesigningalightprojectingsystemitisjustasimportanttoknow
howmuchlightistransmittedfromtheobject,orthesource.Theefficiencyisbasedonhowmuchlightisreceivedbythe
detector,therebyansweringthequestion"Howmuchlightexistsinitially?"TheNumericalAperture(NA)andfnumber
(f/#)ofalensmeasuretheamountoflightitcancollectbasedonf,D,indexofrefraction(n),andAcceptanceAngle().
Figure4illustratestherelationshipbetweenf/#andNA.
Correspondingly,thisrelationshipcanbemathematicallyexpressedaccordingtoEquation1.5.Itisimportanttonotethat
thelargertheDiameter,thesmallerthef/#thisallowsmorelighttoenterthesystem.Tocreatethemostefficient
system,itisbesttomatchtheemittedconeoflightfromthesourcetotheacceptanceconeofthelens,asthisavoids
overorunderfillingthelensarea.
(1.4)

(1.5)

(1.6)

Figure4:DCXLensShowingf/#andNA
[ViewLargerImage]

Figure5:DCXLensIllustratingThroughput[ViewLargerImage]

OpticalThroughput:HowMuchLightgetsthroughtheSystem?
Whenusingalensasatooltotransferlightfromanemittertoadetector,itisimportanttoconsiderThroughput(TP),a
quantitativemeasurementoftransmittedlightenergy.Inotherwords,answeringthequestion"Howmuchlightgets
throughthesystem?"dictatesthegeometryofthelensusedandtheconfigurationofthesystem.Becauseemittersand
detectorsareareasoflightandnotpointsources,thediameterofalensaffectsTPevenwhentheratiobetween
DiameterandFocalLength(specifiedbyf/#)remainsconstant.
Figure5showsthebasicdefinitionofthroughput(TP)asexpressedinEquation1.7,whereAistheAreaoftheobject,
(lightsource),istheSolidAngle,andzistheObjectDistance(withtheirconjugatesinimagespaceasA',',andz').
(1.7)
Solidangleisdefinedas=A/r2 ,withtheareaofthelenssurfaceandtheradius(r)beingthedistancefromthelensto
theobject(z)orimageplane(z'),foror',respectively.
Theamountoflightreachingthedetectorcanbereducedbyvignetting,whichistheresultoflightbeingphysically
blockedwithinthesystemduetolensaperturelimitations.However,somesystemsbenefitfromintentionalvignetting,as
itcaneliminatestraylightthatwouldnegativelyaffectthequalityoftheimage.Itisimportanttonotethatproperly
aligningthesystemreducesstraylightandunintentionalvignetting.
Aberrations:HowDoestheImageLook?
Determininghowmuchlightpassesthroughthesystemisimportant,butaberrationswithinthesystemalsoplayamajor
role.Answering"Howdoestheimagelook?"canleadtoimprovingthesystem'sdesigninordertoreduceaberrationsand
improveimagequality.Aberrationsareerrorsinherentwithanyopticalsystem,regardlessoffabricationoralignment.
Sinceeveryopticalsystemcontainsaberrations,balancingperformancewithcostisanimportantdecisionforany
designer.Severalbasicaberrations,suchascoma(variationinmagnificationorimagesizewithaperture),spherical(light
raysfocusinginfrontoforbehindparaxialfocus),andastigmatism(havingonefocuspointforhorizontalraysand
anotherforvertical)canbereducedbyalargef/#,asshowninthefollowingrelations.
(1.8)

(1.9)

(1.10)

ApplicationExample:DetectorSystem
Asanexample,considerasysteminwhichlightisemittedfroma"diameterfiberopticlightguide,asshowninFigure
3.
InitialParameters
NAofLightGuide=0.55
DiameterofSource(Emitter)=6.35mm
IndexofRefractionofAir=1
CalculatedParameters
FNumber(f/#)
(1.11)

APCXlensoff/1,meaningthef/#is1,wouldbeidealtoplaceinfrontofthelightguideinordertocollimateasmuch
lightaspossible.AccordingtoEquation1.4,ifthef/#is1,thenthediameterandfocallengthofalensareequal.Inother
words,ifweconsideralenswithadiameterof12mm,thenthefocallengthisalso12mm.
FullFieldofView(FFOV)
(1.12)

Throughput(TP)
(1.13)

(1.14)

(1.15)

Steradianscorrespondtoa2dimensionalanglein3dimensionalspace,astheanglefromtheedgetoedgeofthelensis
intwodimensions.Ahighervalueinsteradiansisgivenbyashorterdistancefromemittertolens,oralargerdiameterof
thelens.Thelargestvalueasolidanglecanhaveis4,orabout12.57,asthiswouldbeequivalenttothesolidangleof
allspace.
InordertocalculateThroughput(TP)ofthissystem,weneedtofirstcalculatetheAreaoftheSource(Equation1.11),the
AreaoftheLens(Equation1.12)andtheSolidAngle(Equation1.13).Asaruleofthumbforcollimatinglightfroma
divergentsource(i.e.thelightguideinthisexample),placethelensadistanceequaltoonefocallengthawayfromthe
source.
(1.16)

Sincethesystemisinfreespace,wherenisapproximatedas1,n2 doesnotfactorintothefinalcalculation.
APPLICATION2:SELECTINGTHERIGHTLENS
Highimagequalityissynonymouswithlowaberrations.Asaresult,designersoftenutilizetwoormorelenselementsin
ordertoobtainhigherimagequalitycomparedtoasinglelenssolution.Manyfactorscontributetoselectingtherightlens
foranapplication:typeofsource,spaceconstraints,cost,etc.
Figures6a6ecompareavarietyoflenssystemsforarelaylens,or1:1imaging,application.Inthisspecificexample,
outlinedinthefollowingseriesofcomparisons,itiseasytoseehowimagequalityisaffectedbytheinherentgeometry
andopticalpropertiesofthelenseschosen.

Figure6a:DCXLensRelaySystem:25mmEFLx20mm
EntrancePupilDiameter(LeftisColorandRightis
Monochromatic)[ViewLargerImage]

Figure6b:PCXLensRelaySystem:50mmEFLx20mm
EntrancePupilDiameter(LeftisColorandRightis
Monochromatic)[ViewLargerImage]

Figure6c:AchromaticLensRelaySystem:50mmEFLx
20mmEntrancePupilDiameter(LeftisColorandRightis
Monochromatic)[ViewLargerImage]

Figure6d:AspherizedAchromaticLensRelaySystem:
50mmEFLx50mmEntrancePupilDiameter(LeftisColor
andRightisMonochromatic)[ViewLargerImage]

Figure6e:AsphericLensRelaySystem:50mmEFLx
40mmEntrancePupilDiameter(LeftisColorandRightis
Monochromatic)[ViewLargerImage]
ApplicationExample:SingleElementLensSystem
Adoubleconvex(D C X)lensisregardedasthebestsingleelementfor1:1imagingbecauseofitssymmetricalshape,as
bothsidesofthelenshaveequalpower,insteadofonesidebendingraysmorethantheother,suchasaplanoconvex

(PCX)lens.Sincethelenssystemismadeofjustonelens,theaperturestopisessentiallythelens,whichallowsforthe
reductionofmanyaberrations.Forthesereasons,aDCXlensispreferabletoasinglePCXlensfor1:1imaging.
However,itisimportanttokeepinmindthatatalowf/#,thereisstillsignificantsphericalaberrationandcoma.These
aberrationsarecausedbytheShapeFactor(S)ofthesinglelens:
(2.1)

whereR1 andR 2aretheradiiofeachsurfaceofthelens.

Forapplicationsthatonlyneedonelens,withtheobjectorsourceatinfinity,abettershapefactorcanbefound,to
reducewhicheveraberrationismostdetrimentaltothesystem.Forexample,toreducesphericalaberration,theideal
shapefactorcanbecalculatedby:
(2.2)

(2.3)

(2.4)

WherenistheIndexofRefractionoftheGlassSubstrate,pisthePositionFactor,zisObjectDistance(measuredtobea
negativevalue),andz'isImageDistance(measuredtobeapositivevalue).
Toreducecomaforanobjectatinfinity,theShapeFactorcanbecalculatedby:
(2.5)

Forglassthathasanindexof1.5(NBK7is1.517),withanobjectatinfinity,aShapeFactorofabout0.8willbalancethe
correctionsofbothcomaandsphericalaberrations.
ApplicationExample:DoubleElementLensSystem
Inordertoimprovethesystem,asingleDCXlenscouldbereplacedwithtwoequalPCXlenseseachwithafocallength
twicethatoftheDCX,withanaperturestopinthecenter.Doingsosplitsthepowerofeachsurfaceofthelenses,asthe
focallengthisinverselyproportionaltopower.Sinceeachlenshaslesspower,thereislesssphericalaberrationcreated
inthesystem.Byusingtwolenses,thepowersofeachsurfaceadd,whichallowsforthesameoverallfocallength,but
lesssphericalaberration.Sincethediameteralsohasremainedthesame,thef/#didnotchangebetweenusingasingle
DCXortwoPCXlenses,butthesphericalaberrationisdecreased,evenifthef/#islarge.
Theconvexsurfacesarenearlyincontact,withtheaperturestoplocatedbetweenthem.Betterimagequalityisachieved
byorientingtheconvexsurfacestowardsthelongestconjugatedistance.
ApplicationExample:AchromaticLensSystem
Anotheroptionistousetwoachromaticlenses,orachromats.Anachromaticlensconsistsoftwoopticalcomponents
cementedtogether,usuallyapositivelowindex(crown)elementandanegativehighindex(flint)element.Using
achromatsimprovespolychromatic(whitelight,multiplewavelength)imagingaswellasreducessphericalaberrationand
coma.Ifbothlensesareachromatswithconvexsurfacesfacingeachother,afarsuperiorimagingsystemisobtained,as
manyaberrationsaresignificantlyreducedcomparedtothesamesystemwithsinglelenses(eitherDCXortwoPCXs).
Whilesphericalaberrationisnegligibleatlargeaperturesorhighf/#s,chromaticaberrationisgreatlyreducedwiththe
useofachromats.Manyrelaylenssystemsonthemarketutilizethistypeoffourelementconfiguration.
Formoreinformationaboutthebenefitsofusingachromaticlensescomparedtosingletlenses,viewWhyUsean
AchromaticLens?.
ApplicationExample:AsphericLensSystem
UnlikePCX,DCXandachromaticlenses,whicharemadefromportionsofasphere,anasphericlensisonethathasa
curvatureotherthanthatofasphereorcylinder,usuallymadefromportionsofahyperbolaorparabola.Thekey
conceptofasphericlenses,oraspheres,isthattheradiusofcurvaturevariesradiallyfromtheopticalaxisofthelens.As
aresult,asphericlenseseasilycorrectsphericalaberration,andaregreatforcorrectingoffaxisaberrations.
Asphericlensesareusedinmanysystems,asoneasphericlenscanreplacetwoormoresphericallenses,thereby
reducingspaceandcostswithinasystem.Formoreinformationonthemanufacturing,design,anduseofaspheric
lenses,viewAllAboutAsphericLenses.
TypeofLensSystem

SphericalAberration

ChromaticAberration

DCXSinglet

High

High

2PCX

Medium

High

2Achromats

Low

Negligible

2AspherizedAchromats

Negligible

Negligible

APPLICATION3:BUILDINGAPROJECTIONSYSTEM
Designingacustomprojectorsystemcanoftenbetimeconsumingandexpensive.Nevertheless,therearesomesimple
stepstofollowtomaketheprocesseasyandcosteffective.Thesesamebasicstepscanbeappliedtomanysystem
designapplications.
CustomDesignSteps:
1. DividetheSystemintoPartsOpticalapplicationsaremanyandvaried,fromsimplemagnifierstolaserbeam
conditioning.Mostapplications,however,canbebrokendownintosmallermodulesthatcanbedevelopedalmost
independently.
2. DesignEachPartSeparatelyBytakingeachmoduleanddesigningitforoptimumindividualperformance,the
systemasawholecanbenefit.Thisistrueaslongastheoptimizationofonemoduledoesn'tadverselyaffectthe
designofanothermodule,soitisimportanttokeeptheoverallsysteminmindasyoudesigntheseparateparts.
3. ComputerOptimizeAftercomputingtheinitialdimensions,puttingthedesignintolensdesignsoftware,suchas
ZEMAXorCodeV,isthebestwaytooptimizethemodulesindependently,aswellastheoveralldesign.Optimizing
eachsystemmodulewillgivethebestcasescenariosforwhichappropriatemountingcomponentscanbechosen.
Thisalsoworksasadoublechecktomakesurethecalculationsyieldreasonabledata.
4. AssembletheSystemAftereachmoduleisdesigned,theentiresystemmustbeconstructed.Priortoputtingthe
modulestogether,itisnecessarytocheckthemindividuallytoguaranteetheyworkproperlybeforeaddingthemto
thesystem.Afterthesystemisconstructed,itisbesttoruntheentiresystemthroughlensdesignsoftwareaswell,
inordertomakesurethemodulesworktogethercorrectlywithinthesystem.
5. SelectPartsMostlensdesignsoftwarepackagesincludealibraryofstocklensprescriptionsanda"closest

match"algorithm,whichhelpsonepickreallensesanditemsinplaceofcustomparts.Lensdesignsoftwarewill
optimizetoaglassnumberthatmaynotexist,buttheclosestmatchwillyieldaverysimilarglasstypethatcanbe
purchased.Beyondselectingtherightglasses,findingmechanicstofitthesystemisanimportantstep.Size,weight,
andappearancemustbeconsideredbeforechoosinglensholdersandsystemmounting.
Formoreinformationonglassselection,viewOpticalGlass.
Mostprojectors,liketheoldfashionedslideprojector,employtwomainmodules:acondenserlenssystemanda
projectorlenssystem.Thecondenserlenssystemevenlyilluminatesaslidetheprojectorlenssystemprojectsanimage
oftheslideontoascreen.Eachmodulecanbecreatedwithsimplecomponentsandmethods.25mmdiameteropticswill
beusedinthisexamplebecauseoftheirlargeapertureandwidevarietyoffocallengthsavailable.
Part1:TheProjectionLensSystem
Theprojectionlenssystemislimitedbythedesiredmagnificationandthrowdistanceofthereticleimage.Sincemost
projectionsystemsutilizewhitelight,usingachromaticlenseswillyieldthebestimage.Todeterminewhichachromatsto
use,decidehowfarfromtheprojectedimagetheprojectionlenssystemwillbe(I)andthedesiredmagnification(M).
Magnificationcanbecalculatedbythefocallengthsofthelenses(Equation3.1)orbytheimagetoobjectdistance
(Equation3.2).
(3.1)

(3.2)

Figure7:BasicProjectionSystem[ViewLargerImage]
Part2:TheCondenserLensSystem
Thecondenserlenssystemscollectslightfromdivergentilluminationsources,thenredirectsandcondensesthelightto
floodtheprojectorlenssystem.TheclassicalcondenserlenssystemconsistsoftwoPCXlensesmountedwiththeir
convexsidesfacingeachother,asshowninFigure7.Thefirstlenscollectsthedivergentlightconefromtheilluminator
(objectorprojector)andthesecondlensoutputsthelightasaconvergentcone(image),whichwillilluminatethereticle.
Implicitly,theprojectionlenssolutiondefinespartofthecondenserlenssystem,whichiswhydesigningtheprojection
lenssystemfirstiscrucial.Thedistanceofthecondenserlenssystemtotheprojectorlenssystemisatleastasgreatas
thedistancefromthereticletotheprojectorlenssystem.
ApplicationExample:DesigningaProjectionSystem
InitialParameters
DiameterofLens=25mm
ImageDistance=ThrowDistance=250mm
Magnification=2.5X
CalculatedParameters
ObjectDistance,orDistancetotheReticle
(3.3)

Two100mmfocallengthachromaticlenseswitha25mmdiameterwouldbeidealforcreatingtheprojectionlenssystem.
25mmdiameterlensesaregreatfortheirlargeaperturesandcompatibilitywithmechanicalcomponents,aswellastheir
varietyofcoatingsandfocallengths.
FocalLengthofPCXCondenserLens
(3.4)

Two250mmfocallengthPCXlenseswitha25mmdiameterareneededtocompletetheprojectionsystem.

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