The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 14, 2000
Filed:
May. 05, 1999
Daijiro Fujie, Sagamihara, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An imaging optical system (10) having a focal length (f) and a maximum imagewise numerical aperture. The system combines diffractive and refractive optical elements such that aberrations, including axial chromatic aberration, are well-corrected over a large wavelength range from the visible into the infrared. The system comprises, objectwise to imagewise along an optical axis (A), a front lens group (G.sub.F) having at least one refractive optical element, a diffractive optical element (DOE) provided with a diffractive surface (D) having positive diffractive power and a focal length (f.sub.DOE). The system also includes a rear lens group (G.sub.R) having at least one refractive optical element. The system has an amount of spherical aberration at the maximum imagewise numerical aperture, is measured with respect to e-line wavelength light, in the limit as the positive diffractive power of the diffractive surface approaches zero, of RSA. The system also has a maximum amount of axial chromatic aberration of the imaging optical system over a wavelength range of 400-850 nm, as measured with respect to e-line reference wavelength light, of LA. Further, the following conditions, as well as several others, are preferably satisfied: