Optical systems employing refractive and diffractive optical elements to correct for chromatic aberration
First Claim
1. An optical structure that forms an image and comprises a combination of a plurality of refractive type optical elements and at least one diffractive type element wherein the chromatic aberrational contributions of said refractive type optical elements having characteristics with one algebraic sense and the chromatic aberrational contributions of said diffractive optical type elements having characteristics opposite with respect to said algebraic sense are essentially cancelled out by means of suitable arrangement and relative location of said optical elements plus suitable distribution of optical power among said optical elements of said structure so as to minimize net chromatic aberrational effects in said image.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Optical structures are disclosed that comprise selected combinations of refractive and diffractive type optical elements wherein net chromatic aberrational effects are minimized in images formed by said structures. With the disclosed structures, chromatic aberrational contributions from each type of optical element, having characteristically opposite algebraic sense, are essentially cancelled out by means of proper distribution of optical power plus suitable arrangement and relative location of the said optical elements. Advantages over the prior art are demonstrated in four general types of optical structures.
63 Citations
10 Claims
- 1. An optical structure that forms an image and comprises a combination of a plurality of refractive type optical elements and at least one diffractive type element wherein the chromatic aberrational contributions of said refractive type optical elements having characteristics with one algebraic sense and the chromatic aberrational contributions of said diffractive optical type elements having characteristics opposite with respect to said algebraic sense are essentially cancelled out by means of suitable arrangement and relative location of said optical elements plus suitable distribution of optical power among said optical elements of said structure so as to minimize net chromatic aberrational effects in said image.
-
9. An optical structure with which an image is observed and that comprises a plurality of refractive type optical elements and at least one diffractive type optical element wherein the chromatic aberrational contributions of said refractive type optical elements having one algebraic sense and the chromatic aberrational contributions of said diffractive optical type elements having characteristics opposite with respect to said algebraic sense are essentially cancelled out by means of suitable arrangement and relative location of said optical elements plus suitable distribution of optical power of said optical elements to minimize the following characteristics observed in said image:
- spacial distortion and field curvature plus net chromatic aberrarational effects including lateral color and chromatic distortion.
- View Dependent Claims (10)
Specification