Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Paul N Robb

Romeo I Mercado

Robert D Sigler

Analytical optical system design optimization implements an optical material selection module (302), a thin lens power calculation module (304), a prescription module (306), a figure of merit determination module (308), a bending adjustment module (310), and a focal length scaling module (312). The optical material selection module (302) selects a set of optical materials that are appropriate for use together in an optical system using the dispersion coefficients of the materials. Potential optical designs are screened according to thin lens power criteria. For each design with acceptable power distribution, a lens prescription is arranged and thickness is added to each lens by the prescription module (306) to provide a thick lens assembly. Designs can then be analyzed according to a figure of merit that evidences optical system performance by the figure of merit determination module (308). In an exemplary embodiment the polychromatic RMS spot radius for each design is analyzed. The thick lens assembly is then adjusted by the bending adjustment module (310). The assembly is adjusted over bending range to identify the degree of bending at which the design is optimized according to the figure of merit. After optimization according to bending and the figure of merit, the focal length of the lens is calculated and the design is scaled by the focal length scaling module (312) so that various designs can be appropriately compared.

Optical system design optimization using an analytical figure of merit

A lens system with a liquid optical element is for use in the mid-wave infrared from 3.0 micron to 5.0 micron wavelength is described. Using a liquid optical element which is highly transmissive in the 3.0 micron to 5.0 micron waveband of interest in conjunction with a solid material which is also highly transmissive in that waveband provides a lens design with very good optical performance which is less expensive and which is much lighter in weight than an all solid design of the same optical performance.

Mid-wave infrared lens system with liquid optical element

Design forms are disclosed for lens triplets comprising a liquid lens element, which are well-corrected for chromatic aberration over a broad wavelength band extending from the ultraviolet region through the visible region into the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Broad-band ultraviolet lens systems well-corrected for chromatic

Lens systems (8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58) with first and second rigid lens elements and a liquid lens element therebetween are provided. The first and second rigid lens elements (10, 11; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 51; 60, 61) and the liquid lens elements (16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 66) co-act with each other to cause the lens system to have substantially diffraction limited performance over a continuous ultraviolet wavelength band, wherein the first and second rigid lens elements and the liquid lens element are configured and positioned with respect to each other according to a selection of particular designs and design forms.

Ultraviolet lens systems including liquid lens elements

A lens system (10) for a 5X laser beam expander includes lens elements (11, 12, 13, 14) which consist of crystalline and liquid optical materials. Several embodiments, using different materials for the lens elements (11, 12, 13, 14), provide diffraction-limited performance without refocussing over several wavelength ranges, the broadest being from 0.24 to 2.5 microns.

Laser beam expanders

Lens systems (68, 78, 88, 98, 108, 118) with first and second rigid lens elements (70,71;80,81;90,91;100,101;110,111;120,121) and a liquid lens element (76, 86, 96, 106, 116, 126) therebetween are provided. The first and second rigid lens elements and the liquid lens elements co-act with each other to cause the lens system to have substantially diffraction limited performance over a continuous infrared wavelength band, wherein the first and second rigid lens elements and the liquid lens element are configured and positioned with respect to each other according to a selection of particular designs and design forms.

Infrared lens systems

Design forms are disclosed for 5X and 10X laser beam expanders whose lens elements consist only of plastic and liquid optical materials, which provide diffraction-limited performance without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.4 micron to 0.8 micron.

Laser beam expanders with plastic and liquid lens elements

Design forms are disclosed for 5.times. and 10.times. laser beam expanders whose lens elements consist of glass and liquid optical materials, which provide diffraction-limited performance without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.4 micron to 0.8 micron.

Laser beam expanders with glass and liquid lens elements

A 5.times. laser beam expander lens that is well-corrected for chromatic aberration can be used without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.365 micron to 1.3 micron.

Laser beam expander: 5X

A 10.times. laser beam expander lens that is well-corrected for chromatic aberration can be used without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.365 micron to 1.3 micron.

Laser beam expander: 10.times.

A method is described for selecting optical materials to use in designing color-corrected optical systems. Various dioptric, catadioptric and anamorphic optical systems are described, which use only two different types of optical materials to obtain precise axial color correction at three, four or five wavelengths (depending upon the particular optical materials), with only very small chromatic aberration occurring at wavelengths between the precisely color-corrected wavelengths. Examples of color-corrected lens systems comprising more than two glasses are also described.

Color-corrected optical systems and method of selecting optical

Color-corrected optical systems

An apochromatic lens system consisting of four identical glass lens elements and a liquid lens element is disclosed, which has a change in focus of less than one-quarter wavelength over the entire visible spectrum. The glass lens elements and the liquid lens element are made from relatively inexpensive commercially available optical materials.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Paul N Robb