Lens system

• US 5,235,464 A
• Filed: 11/15/1991
• Issued: 08/10/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuchida, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US07/792,659
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 359/642, 359/651-654, 359/737, 359/742, 359/566, 359/568, 359/570
• US Class Current: 359/652
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/42 Diffraction optics , i.e. systems including a diffractive element being designed for providing a diffractive effectG02B27/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4211 correcting chromatic aberrations G02B27/0056, G02B27/4222, G02B27/4227 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0087 with index gradient

Abstract

A lens system comprising a radial type graded refractive index lens element and a diffraction type lens element so that the refractive power of the radial type graded refractive index lens element is imparted to the diffraction type lens element, thereby facilitating manufacturing of the graded refractive index lens element and favorably correcting aberrations including chromatic aberration.

Claims

1. A lens system comprising a graded refractive index lens element having refractive index n(y) varying in the direction perpendicular to an optical axis as expressed by the formula shown below and a diffraction type lens element arranged coaxially therewith;

and adapted to satisfy the following conditions (1) and (2);

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">n(y)=N.sub.0 +N.sub.1 y.sup.2 +N.sub.2 y.sup.4 +. . .

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">v.sub.1 <

v.sub.0 (

     1)

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.01<

Σ

φ

.sub.D/Σ

φ

G <

1.2 (2)

wherein the reference symbol y represents the distance as measured from the optical axis to a lens portion of interest in the direction perpencidular to the optical axis, the reference symbol N₀ designates the refractive index of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference symbols N₁, N₂, . . . designate the refractive index distribution coefficients, the reference symbol v₀ denotes the Abbe'"'"'s number of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference numeral v₁ represents the Abbe'"'"'s number of the graded refractive index lens element determined from the refractive index distribution coefficient of the second order, the reference symbol φ

_G designates the refractive power of the graded refractive index lens element and the reference symbol φ

_D denotes the refractive power of the diffraction type lens element.

2. A lens system according to claim 1 wherein said diffraction type lens element is arranged on a refractive surface of said graded refractive index lens element.

3. A lens system according to claim 1 wherein said graded refractive index lens element and said diffraction type lens element are arranged with an airspace reserved therebetween.

4. A lens system according to claim 2 wherein said graded refractive index lens element has a planar surface of incidence and a planar surface of emergence, and said diffraction type lens element is arranged on the surface of incidence or the surface of emergence.

5. A lens system according to claim 3 wherein said graded refractive index lens is a plano-convex lens element and said diffraction type lens element is arranged on the emergence side of said graded refractive index element.

6. A lens system comprising a first lens element designed as a graded refractive index lens element having a diffraction type lens element on the incidence side surface thereof and a second lens element designed as a graded refractive index lens element having a diffraction type lens element on the emergence side surface thereof, the refractive index n(y) of each said graded refractive index lens element being expressed by the following formula, and said lens system satisfying the following conditions (1) and (2):

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">n(y)=N.sub.0 +N.sub.1 y.sup.2 +N.sub.2 y.sup.4 +. . .

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">v.sub.1 <

v.sub.0 (

     1)

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.01<

Σ

φ

.sub.D/Σ

φ

G <

1.2 (2)

wherein the reference symbol y represents the distance as measured from an optical axis to a lens portion of interest in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, the reference symbol N₀ designates the refractive index of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference symbols N₁, N₂, . . . designate the refractive index distribution coefficients, the reference symbol v₀ denotes the Abbe'"'"'s number of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference numeral v₁ represents the Abbe'"'"'s number of the graded refractive index lens element determined from the refractive index distribution coefficient of the second order, the reference symbol φ

_G designates the refractive power of the graded refractive index lens element and the reference symbol φ

_D denotes the refractive power of the diffraction type lens element.

7. A lens system comprising a first graded refractive index lens element, a second graded refractive index lens element and a diffraction type lens element arranged between said graded refractive index lens elements with airspaces interposed, the refractive index n(y) of each said graded refractive index lens element being expressed by the following formula, and said lens system satisfying the following conditions (1) and (2):

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">n(y)=N.sub.0 +N.sub.1 y.sup.2 +N.sub.2 y.sup.4 +. . .

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">v.sub.1 <

v.sub.0 (

     1)

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.01<

Σ

φ

.sub.D/Σ

φ

G <

1.2 (2)

wherein the reference symbol y represents the distance as measured from an optical axis to a lens portion of interest in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, the reference symbol N₀ designates the refractive index of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference symbols N₁, N₂, . . . designate the refractive index distribution coefficients, the reference symbol v₀ denotes the Abbe'"'"'s number of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference numeral v₁ represents the Abbe'"'"'s number of the graded refractive index lens element determined from the refractive index distribution coefficient of the second order, the reference symbol φ

_G designates the refractive power of the graded refractive index lens element and the reference symbol φ

_D denotes the refractive power of the diffraction type lens element.