Optical Engineering for M1 SISE/PSRS

Chapter 2 – Objects and images

Arnaud Meyer (arnaud.meyer@univ-st-etienne.fr)

Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne – Laboratoire Hubert Curien

2020 – 2021

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images 1

Summary of this chapter

a Objects and images

b Conditions of stigmatism
c The basic optical elements
d Introduction to ray tracing

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Summary of this chapter 2

 Objects and images

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Objects and images 3

Usual conventions in geometrical optics
Entry Intermediate Exit
space space space

In the field
Optical
On axis
element/system Optical axis

In the field y
+

x
z

From a given optical axis (FR: axe optique) and optical element (or a whole
optical system), we define:
• Orientations for each axis and for angles
• Entry, intermediate and exit spaces, relative to the element
• Points located on the optical axis or in the field (FR: dans le champ)
Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Objects and images 4
Algebraic distances
In geometrical optics, all distances and angles are oriented, ie. their sign
must be carefully taken care of:

AB = −BA
[ = −CBA
ABC [

A C B V
y
+

x
z S T
In this example:

AC = AB + BC =⇒ a = c+b
[ = TSU
TSV [ + USV
[ =⇒ α = γ+β

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Reminder: point sources

Point sources are ideal light sources that produce an infinity of rays in
every direction from a single point in space.

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Objects and images 6

Point source at a finite distance

Point source at finite distance

on axis
(FR: Source ponctuelle à distance finie
sur l’axe)

Point source at finite distance

in the field
(FR: Source ponctuelle à distance finie
dans le champ)

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Objects and images 7

Question: how to represent a point source at ∞?
(on axis and in the field)

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Objects and images 8

Real and virtual objects (FR: objets réels et virtuels)

Particular sets of rays incoming to a optical device can be inferred to

converge at a single point source or sink, called object.

Real object: located in the

entry space, at finite
distance or at infinity. Real
object
(FR: Objet réel)

Virtual object: located in

the exit or intermediate
Virtual
spaces. object

(FR: Objet virtuel)

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Objects and images 9

Real and virtual images (FR: images réelles et virtuelles)

In the same way, outgoing rays can be matched to real or virtual images.

Real image: located in the

exit space, at finite distance
Real
or at infinity. image

(FR: Image réelle)

Virtual image: located in

the entry or intermediate
Virtual
spaces. image

(FR: Image virtuelle)

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Use of real/virtual objects and images

Object

Object
Image

Image
Optical system Optical system ...
1 2

Optical systems can be seen as function blocks which conjugate an

input object, real or virtual, to an output image, real or virtual.

Therefore, the concept of object and image helps to break down complex
systems into several single and more simple systems.

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 Conditions of stigmatism

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Conditions of stigmatism 12

Stigmatism (FR: le stigmatisme)

An optical system is said to be stigmatic when it conjugates a single

object to a single image, wherever the object is located.
While this behavior would be expected of any optical system, actual cases
of stigmatism are actually quite rare, and their scope is very limited.

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Cases of rigorous stigmatism

A plane mirror is rigorously stigmatic in

any type of conjugation.

A refracting parallel plate is rigorously

stigmatic in ∞ – ∞ conjugation.

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Cases of rigorous stigmatism

A parabola is rigorously stigmatic in the

conjugation ∞ on axis – focal point.

A hyperbola is rigorously stigmatic

between both its foci.

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Cases of rigorous stigmatism

An ellipse is rigorously stigmatic between

both its foci.

A circle is rigorously stigmatic in two cases:

• Its center and itself

• Young-Weierstrass points, between

themselves:
n1 + n2
SA = SC
n1 A A' C S
n + n2
and SA′ = 1 SC
n2

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Stigmatism in optical design

Rigorous stigmatism cases are too restrictive to be practiceable for

general use. Therefore, most optical systems have to deal with optical
elements that are non-stigmatic, such as spherical lenses.
Cases of non-stigmatism are called aberrations, and their correction is at
the core of optical design.
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Approached stigmatism (FR: stigmatisme approché)

In particular conditions, spherical elements can be considered stigmatic:

When the angles of incidence are low and the curvature is small
This behavior is called approached stigmatism, or Gauss’s conditions.
Because these conditions are found typically very close to the optical
axis, they are also qualified as paraxial.
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 The basic optical elements

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images The basic optical elements 19
“Paraxial” optical elements

For preliminary design or education purposes, it is useful to consider

optical elements that are perfectly stigmatic in all conditions.

Such elements can be approached by spherical lenses or mirrors that

are considered infinitely thin and in paraxial conditions.

These paraxial elements are the basic building blocks of optical systems.
At some point, they have to be translated to real (usually non-stigmatic)
optical elements, like spherical lenses.

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Paraxial converging lens (FR: lentille convergente paraxiale)

A paraxial converging lens is an ideal, stigmatic optical element that

converges incoming rays. It is defined by its center O and its object and
image focal points F and F ′ . (FR: centre, foyer objet et foyer image)
It is represented by a line with two arrows pointed outwards.

F O F'

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Paraxial diverging lens (FR: lentille divergente paraxiale)

A paraxial diverging lens is an ideal, stigmatic optical element that

diverges incoming rays. It is defined by its center O and its object and
image focal points F and F ′ . (FR: centre, foyer objet et foyer image)
It is represented by a line with two arrows pointed inwards.

F' O F

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Paraxial converging mirror (FR: miroir convergent paraxial)

A paraxial converging mirror is an ideal, stigmatic optical element that

converges incoming rays. It is defined by its vertex S, its center of
curvature C and its focal point F . (FR: sommet, centre de courbure et foyer)
It is represented by a plane mirror with extremities bent forward.
Alternatively by a portion of a circle (more ambiguous, as a spherical mirror is not stigmatic).

C F S C F S

(alternatively)

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Paraxial diverging mirror (FR: miroir divergent paraxial)

A paraxial diverging mirror is an ideal, stigmatic optical element that

diverges incoming rays. It is defined by its vertex S, its center of
curvature C and its focal point F . (FR: sommet, centre de courbure et foyer)
It is represented by a plane mirror with extremities bent backward.
Alternatively by a portion of a circle (also ambiguous as noted before).

S F C S F C

(alternatively)

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images The basic optical elements 24
 Introduction to ray tracing

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Introduction to ray tracing 25

Ray tracing (FR: tracé de rayons)

F'2 F'1 F'3

Ray tracing enables to simulate behavior of light in an optical system.

In the general case, Snell-Descartes’ laws are applied locally, for each
surface. This is usually better done by specialized software.
In the case of paraxial elements, only a few simple rules are sufficient to
simulate the path taken by any incoming (or outgoing) ray.
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Ray tracing rules: non-deviation

Rays going through the

center O of a thin lens are F O F'
not deviated.

Rays going through the

center of curvature C of a C F S
mirror are not deviated.

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Ray tracing rules: symmetry

Rays going through the

vertex S of a mirror are
reflected symmetrically to S F C

the optical axis.

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Ray tracing rules: focal point

F O F'
Incoming rays that are
parallel to the optical axis
are focused on the image
focal point F ′ .

Inversely, incoming rays

crossing the object focal
point F are emerging parallel
to the optical axis.
S F C

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Ray tracing rules: parallel beams

F O F'
All rays from an incoming
parallel beam are focused
on the same point, located in
the image focal plane.

Inversely, sets of incoming

rays crossing in the object
focal plane are emerging
parallel.
S F C

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Introduction to ray tracing 30

Aplanetism (FR: aplanétisme)

A F F' A'
B
C

P P'

A system is said aplanetic when the image of a plane perpendicular

to the optical axis is another plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

Real systems are not aplanetic by default, so it usually applies only

to ideal/paraxial systems.
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Constructing the image of an extended object

A F O F' A'

B'

Using the aplanetism property of paraxial elements, images of extended

objects perpendicular to the optical axis can be constructed easily.

Optical Engineering Chapter 2: Objects and images Introduction to ray tracing 32