"It's only two lenses in a tube: how complicated can it be?"

Chris Bigwood; Andrew Wood

doi:10.1117/12.818150

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6 May 2009 "It's only two lenses in a tube: how complicated can it be?"

Chris Bigwood, Andrew Wood

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Proceedings Volume 7298, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXV; 72980Z (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818150
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2009, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

To meet today's demanding requirements for increased performance, reduced size, lower mass and lower cost, simple lenses containing multiple aspheric surfaces are required. It is now a common feature that the number of non-spherical surfaces used in an infrared lens design exceeds the actual number of lens elements. Judicious use of single-aspheric, dual-aspheric and asphero-diffractive surfaces provide additional degrees of freedom in the lens design. This is required not only to improve the imaging performance demanded by increasingly reduced pitch detectors, but to do so with solutions that are shorter and lighter whilst also offering excellent image uniformity with minimised stray light. Non-spherical surfaces also enable a greater diversity of materials to be used such that athermal solutions can be realised without the need for additional lens elements. This paper will review the range of applications that can be satisfied using no more than two optical components; examining the specific benefits that non-spherical surfaces can provide. Consideration will also be given to future developments where enhanced functionality can be achieved by using computational imaging techniques. Examples will be given for optical designs that are suitable for numerous military applications including weapon sights, driver's vision enhancement and remote weapon stations.

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Chris Bigwood and Andrew Wood ""It's only two lenses in a tube: how complicated can it be?"", Proc. SPIE 7298, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXV, 72980Z (6 May 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818150

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