NAME : FAUZI AHMAD

NIM : M0214019

PARAXIAL RAYS IN THIN AND THICK LENSES

We assume a thin, converging lens and that the light rays we are dealing with are close to the
principal axis and make very small angles with the principal axis ( angles of less than 10o),
resulting in very small angles of incidence. Such rays are called paraxial rays. Thus we
assume that the angles we are dealing with are small enough that we can approximate them
by their sines and tangents (for very small angles, sin and tan ). For definiteness
the analysis will assume an object point that is located on the principal axis but the
approximations made do not depend on this fact. The object and image relationships which
will be derived will be equally valid for pairs of conjugate points lying on any line parallel to
the principal axis. We will find that points lying on a plane perpendicular to the principal
axis, called the object plane, will be imaged onto a second plane perpendicular to the
principal axis, called the image plane. The lens is assumed to be constructed of a substance
with a refractive index of n. The medium in which the lens is immersed is air with a refractive
index of 1.
Referring now to Fig. 1(a), P is the object and Q is its image. An arbitrary ray passes from the
object P to point A, is refracted at A, passes to point D, is refracted again at D, then passes to
the image Q. Fig. 1(b) shows the refraction for the left surface of the lens. Point C is the
center of curvature for the left surface of the lens and AC is normal to the lens surface. The
refracted ray has the direction AB. The angle of incidence at point A is i1 and the angle of
refraction is r1.

NAME : FAUZI AHMAD

NIM : M0214019

Using Snells law ( n1 sin i = n2 sin r ) at point A gives

1)

sin i1 = n sin r1

Using the small angle approximations sin i1 = i1 and sin r1 = r1, 1) becomes
2)
i 1 = n r1
Now, using the theorem that states that the exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of
the two interior angles, we see from triangle ACP that
3)

i 1 = 1 + 1

and from triangle ABC that

4)

r1 = 1 -

Substituting 3) and 4) into 2) gives

5)

1 + 1 = n(1 - )

Referring now to Fig. 1(c), the refracted ray AB never reaches point B on the principal axis
but is refracted at the right surface of the lens at point D and then intersects the principal axis
at point Q. Point E is the center of curvature of the right surface of the lens and ED is normal
to the surface. Snells law gives, at point D,
6)

sin i2 = n sin r2

or, by our assumptions of small angles,

7)

i 2 = n r2

From triangle DEQ we see that

8)

i 2 = 2 + 2

and from triangle DEQ we see that

9)

r2 = 2 +

NAME : FAUZI AHMAD

NIM : M0214019

Substituting 8) and 9) into 7) we obtain

10)

2 + 2 = n(2 + )

By eliminating from equations 5) and 10) we obtain

11)

1 + 2 = (n - 1)(1 + 2)

We now make a number of approximations consistent with the idea of a thin lens of small
diameter. For example, we say that the distance from A to the principal axis is approximately
equal to the distance from D to the principal axis and call it h. We say the object distance s is
the distance from P to the lens, and the image distance s' is the distance from Q to the lens,
neglecting the thickness of the lens. One can approximate a small angle by either its sine or
its tangent and so we use the approximations 1 = h/s, 2 = h/s', 1 = h/R1, and 2 = h/R2.
Substituting these relations into 11) gives

One can find the focal length f of a thin lens by finding the image distance of an infinitely
distant object. When s is infinity in 12), the value of s' will be the focal length f. Substituting s
= in 12) gives

Equation 13 is called the lensmakers equation. Substituting 13) into 12) gives

It can be shown that equations 12), 13), and 14) are applicable to all thin lenses through the
use of the following sign conventions:
1. The radius of curvature R is positive for a convex surface and negative for a concave
surface.

NAME : FAUZI AHMAD

NIM : M0214019

2. Light is assumed to come to the lens from the left.

3. The object distance s is positive when the object is to the left of the lens.
4. The image distance s' is positive when the image is to the right of the lens.
5. The focal length f is positive for a converging lens and negative for a diverging lens.
6. The positive and negative signs are to be used only when numerical values are substituted
for the symbols.
For thick lens,

The above figure is Figure 2.5, p. 13, from Schroeder (1987). Applying the equation
of paraxial refraction with
(air) to each surface gives
(1)

(2)

Using

,
(3)

Adding (1) and (3) gives

(4)

NAME : FAUZI AHMAD

NIM : M0214019

For conjugate points,

(5)

As is derived by Morgan,
(6)

The ends of the lens are at

(7)
(8)

The above equations were derived on the assumption that the lens was immersed in air. The
equations are also correct when the lens are immersed in any medium, provided that n is
interpreted as the relative index of the material of the lens with respect to the medium.

REFERENCE

Morgan, J. Introduction to Geometrical and Physical Optics. New York: McGraw-Hill, p. 57,
1953.
Schroeder, D. J. Astronomical Optics, 2nd ed. San Diego: Academic Press, 1999.

NAME : FAUZI AHMAD

NIM : M0214019

Semat, Katz. Physics. http://www.solitaryroad.com/c1034b.htm.