Refractive/diffractive infrared imager and optics
First Claim
1. An infrared imager comprising:
- an infrared transmitting glass objective lens having a surface with a color correcting diffractive pattern; and
an infrared transmitting polymeric field lens having a substantially flat surface with a first field-correcting diffractive pattern, the first field-correcting diffractive pattern operating to reduce aberrations of an image.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
This patent teaches a low cost imager. The imager has an refractive objective lens 10 having a surface with a color correcting diffractive pattern 16 and an infrared transmitting polymeric field lens 18 having a substantially flat surface with a first field-correcting diffractive pattern. In this imager, the first field-correcting diffractive pattern operates to reduce aberrations of an image. In some embodiments, the imager further has a second field-correcting diffractive pattern on the field lens, where the first and second field-correcting diffractive pattern cooperating to reduce aberrations of the image. Additionally, this patent teaches a refractive/diffractive achromatic lens group 30. This achromat 30 can be used in the disclosed imager or in other optical devices. The achromatic group 30 has a refractive lens 10 and a lens 28 having a substantially flat surface with a surface diffractive pattern 16, the surface diffractive pattern cooperating with the refractive lens to reduce chromatic aberrations. Preferably, the second lens is formed from a polymeric sheet. These optics of the present invention can be used in infrared or visible optical devices.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An infrared imager comprising:
an infrared transmitting glass objective lens having a surface with a color correcting diffractive pattern; and
an infrared transmitting polymeric field lens having a substantially flat surface with a first field-correcting diffractive pattern, the first field-correcting diffractive pattern operating to reduce aberrations of an image.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An infrared imager comprising:
an infrared transmitting achromatic lens group, the group comprising an infrared transmitting glass objective lens, and a second infrared transmitting lens having a substantially flat surface with a surface diffractive pattern, the surface diffractive pattern cooperating with the glass lens to reduce chromatic aberrations; and
an infrared transmitting polymeric field lens having a substantially flat surface with a first field-correcting diffractive pattern, the first field-correcting diffractive pattern operating to reduce aberrations of an image.- View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An infrared imager comprising:
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objective optics selected from the group consisting of 1) an infrared transmitting, refractive objective lens having a first surface and a second surface, and 2) an infrared transmitting achromatic lens group, the group including an infrared transmitting, refractive objective lens, and a second infrared transmitting lens having a substantially flat surface with a surface diffractive pattern, the surface diffractive pattern cooperating with the refractive lens to reduce chromatic aberrations; and an infrared transmitting field lens having a third surface and a fourth surface, one of the field lens surfaces including a diffractive pattern that reduces aberrations of an image; wherein the imager does not use any additional elements to form the image, except elements that have no optical power. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An infrared transmitting achromatic lens group, comprising:
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an infrared transmitting glass lens; and a second infrared transmitting lens having a substantially flat surface with a surface diffractive pattern, the surface diffractive pattern cooperating with the glass lens to reduce chromatic aberrations; wherein the second infrared transmitting lens is a polymeric lens; and wherein the glass lens is a meniscus lens. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An infrared transmitting achromatic lens group, comprising:
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an infrared transmitting glass lens; and a second infrared transmitting lens having a substantially flat surface with a surface diffractive pattern, the surface diffractive pattern cooperating with the glass lens to reduce chromatic aberrations; wherein the second infrared transmitting lens is a polymeric lens; and wherein the glass lens is a biconvex lens.
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25. An infrared transmitting achromatic lens group, comprising:
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an infrared transmitting glass lens; and a second infrared transmitting lens having a substantially flat surface with a surface diffractive pattern, the surface diffractive pattern cooperating with the glass lens to reduce chromatic aberrations; wherein the second infrared transmitting lens is a polymeric lens; and wherein the glass lens is a biconcave lens.
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26. An infrared imager, comprising:
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infrared transmitting objective optics which include a refractive objective lens, and which include a first diffractive structure that is operable primarily to reduce chromatic aberrations; and infrared transmitting field optics which include a second diffractive structure that is operable primarily to reduce field aberrations, the second diffractive structure being disposed between the objective optics and an image plane. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification