Color-corrected catadioptric systems
AssigneeLockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
InventorsRomeo I. Mercado, Paul N. Robb
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Abstract
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.
Claims27
A catadioptric optical system color-corrected at more than three discrete wavelengths, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements disposed along an optic axis for said system, said refractive elements being made from only two different optical materials, at least one of said refractive elements being made of a first one of said made of a second one of said optical materials, said first and second ones of said optical materials having different indices of refraction, said refractive elements coacting with each other so that paraxial marginal rays passing through said system come to a focus at said more than three wavelengths.
A catadioptric optical system, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements disposed along an optic axis, each of said refractive elements being rotationally symmetric about said axis, said refractive elements coacting with each other so that paraxial marginal rays passing through said system have a common focal length along said axis for more than three optical wavelengths.
A catadioptric optical system color-corrected at five wavelengths, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements, said refractive elements being made from only two different optical materials, namely, Hoya FCD10 glass and Hoya FC3 glass, at least one of said refractive elements being made of Hoya FCD10 glass and at least one other of said refractive elements being made of Hoya FC3 glass, said refractive elements coacting with each other so as to achieve color correction at said five wavelengths for said system.
A catadioptric optical system color-corrected at four wavelengths, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements, said refractive elements being made from only two different optical materials, namely, Hoya BAF11 glass and Hoya FL6 glass, at least one of said refractive elements being made of Hoya BAF11 glass and at least one other of said refractive elements being made of Hoya FL6 glass, said refractive elements coacting with each other so as to achieve color correction at said four wavelengths.
A catadioptric optical system color-corrected at four wavelengths, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements, said refractive elements being made from only two different optical materials, namely, Corning-France 486817 glass and Corning-France 697554 glass, at least one of said refractive elements being made of Corning-France 486817 glass and at least one other of said refractive elements being made of Corning-France 697554 glass, said refractive elements coacting with each other so as to achieve color correction at said four wavelengths.
A catadioptric optical system color-corrected at five wavelengths, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements, said refractive elements being made from only two different optical materials, namely, Schott PK51 glass and Hoya LAC7 glass, at least one of said refractive elements being made of Schott PK51 glass and at least one other of said refractive elements being made of Hoya LAC7 glass, said refractive elements coacting with each other so as to achieve color correction at said five wavelengths.
A catadioptric optical system color-corrected at five wavelengths, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements, said refractive elements being made from only two different optical materials, namely, Hoya FCD10 glass and Ohara PSK1 glass, at least one of said refractive elements being made of Hoya FCD10 glass and at least one other of said refractive elements being made of Ohara PSK1 glass, said refractive elements coacting with each other so as to achieve color correction at said five wavelengths.
A catadioptric optical system color-corrected at four wavelengths, said system comprising a plurality of refractive elements, said refractive elements being made from only two different optical materials, namely, Hoya FCD10 glass and Hoya LAC14 glass, at least one of said refractive elements being made of Hoya FCD10 glass and at least one other of said refractive elements being made of Hoya LAC14 glass, said refractive elements coacting with each other so as to achieve color correction at said four wavelengths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.