Optical Design with Zemax

for PhD

Lecture 1: Introduction
2015-11-11
Herbert Gross

Winter term 2015 www.iap.uni-jena.de

 2

Preliminary Schedule

No Date Subject Detailed content

1 11.11. Introduction
2 02.12. Basic Zemax handling
3 09.12. Properties of optical systems
4 16.12. Aberrations I
5 06.01. Aberrations II
6 13.01. Optimization I
7 20.01. Optimization II
8 27.01. Advanced handling
9 03.02. Imaging
Zemax interface, menus, file handling, system description, editors, preferences,
updates, system reports, coordinate systems, aperture, field, wavelength, layouts,
raytrace, diameters, stop and pupil, solves, ray fans, paraxial optics
surface types, quick focus, catalogs, vignetting, footprints, system insertion, scaling,
component reversal
aspheres, gradient media, gratings and diffractive surfaces, special types of
surfaces, telecentricity, ray aiming, afocal systems
representations, spot, Seidel, transverse aberration curves, Zernike wave
aberrations
PSF, MTF, ESF
algorithms, merit function, variables, pick up’s
methodology, correction process, special requirements, examples
slider, universal plot, I/O of data, material index fit, multi configuration, macro
language
Fourier imaging, geometrical images

10 10.02. Correction I simple and medium examples

11 17.02. Correction II advanced examples

12 24.02. Illumination simple illumination calculations, non-sequential option

13 02.03. Physical optical modelling Gaussian beams, POP propagation

14 07.03. Tolerancing Sensitivities, Tolerancing, Adjustment

 3

Content

1. Introduction
2. Zemax interface, menues, file handling, preferences
3. Editors, updates, windows, preferences
4. Coordinate systems and notations
5. System description, reports
6. Component reversal, system insertion, scaling
7. Solves and pickups, variables
8. 3D geometry
9. Aperture, field, wavelength
10. Glass catalogs
11. Raytrace
12. Layouts
 4

Modelling of Optical Systems

 Principal purpose of calculations:  Imaging model with levels of refinement

Paraxial model
System, data of the structure (focal length, magnification, aperture,..)
(radii, distances, indices,...)
linear
approximation
Analysis
imaging
aberration Synthesis Analytical approximation and classification
theorie lens design (aberrations,..)

Taylor
Function, data of properties, expansion
quality performance
(spot diameter, MTF, Strehl ratio,...) Geometrical optics
(transverse aberrations, wave aberration,
distortion,...)

with
approximation
diffraction
 --> 0

Wave optics
(point spread function, OTF,...)

Ref: W. Richter
 5

Modelling of Optical Systems

ray
tracing final analysis
final analysis reference ray in
intersection reference ray in the image plane
Geometrical the image space
points
raytrace
with Snells law optical path longitudinal transverse
 Five levels of modelling: length aberrations
Rayleigh unit
aberration

reference equivalence
sphere types of differen
inte-
aberrations gration tiation
wave
full
1. Geometrical raytrace with analysis aberration W
analysis definition aperture
Geometrical
orthogonal single types of
equivalents aberrations
2. Equivalent geometrical quantities, classification exponential
expansion

function
classification of the
Zernike
coefficients
rms
value
geometrical
spot diagramm
phase
sum of
3. Physical model: Physical pupil coefficients
model function Marechal
complex pupil function Kirchhoff
Fourier
transform
approxima-
tion
integral Luneburg integral
( far field )
4. Primary physical quantities sum of
squares Marechal
point spread
Marechal approximation
Primary function (PSF) approxima-
5. Secondary physical quantities physical
maximum
tion
quantities
of the squared
amplitude
auto-
correlation Strehl
Duffieux number
 Blue arrows: conversion of quantities integral
Fourier
transform
squared integration of
amplitude spatial
frequencies Fourier
optical geometrical transform
Secondary optical
transfer function
physical approximation transfer function
quantities approximation threshold value threshold value
diameter of the spatial frequency spatial
spot frequency approximation
spot diameter
resolution
 6

Zemax Interface

 There are 4 types of windows in Zemax:

1. Editors for data input:
lens data, extra data, multiconfiguration, tolerances
2. Output windows for graphical representation of results
Here mostly setting-windowss are supported to optimize the layout
3. Text windows for output in ASCII numerical numbers (can be exported)
4. Dialog boxes for data input, error reports and more

 There are several files associates with Zemax

1. Data files (.ZMX)
2. Session files (.SES) for system settings (can be de-activated)
3. Glass catalogs, lens catalogs, coating catalogs, BRDF catalogs, macros,
images, POP data, refractive index files,...

 There are in general two working modes of Zemax

1. Sequential raytrace (or partial non-sequencial)
2. Non-sequential
 7

Zemax Interface

 Helpful shortcuts:
1. F3 undo
2. F2 edit a cell in the editor
3. cntr A multiconfiguration toggle
4. cntr V variable toggle
5. F6 merit function editor
6. cntr U update
7. shift cntr Q quick focus

 Window options:
1. several export options
2. fixed aspect ratios
3. clone
4. adding comments or graphics
 8

Coordinate Systems and Sign of Quantities

y / meridional section
 Coordinate systems tangential plane
2D sections: y-z shown
x / sagittal plane

 Sign of lengths, radii, angles: z / optical axis

- R2 + R1
-s +s
C2 C1
negative: positive: + R positive: negative:
to the left to the right C to the right C to the left

angle positive:
counterclockwise
+j
reference
 9

Description of Optical Systems

 Interface surfaces
- mathematical modelled surfaces
- planes, spheres, aspheres, conics, free shaped surfaces,…

 Size of components
- thickness and distances along the axis
- transversal size,circular diameter, complicated contours

 Geometry of the setup

- special case: rotational symmetry
- general case: 3D, tilt angles, offsets and decentrations, needs vectorial approach

 Materials
- refractive indices for all used wavelengths
- other properties: absorption, birefringence, nonlinear coefficients, index gradients,…

 Special surfaces
- gratings, diffractive elements
- arrays, scattering surfaces
 10

System Model

 Single step: surface j

- surface and transition
- parameters: radius, diameter, thickness,
diameter Dj
medium j
refractive index, aspherical constants,
tj / nj
conic parameter, decenter, tilt,...

radius rj

 Complete system:
- sequence of surfaces
- object has index 0 object surfaces image
plane plane
- image has index N
- tN does not exist
thickness
index 0 1 2 3 j N-2 N-1 (N)
 Ray path has fixed
sequence
surface
0-1-2-...-(N-1)-N 0 1 2 3 .... j .... N-2 N-1 N
index
 11

System Data Tables

 Menu:
Menu:
Reports / Prescription
datareports / prescription data
 12

System Data Tables

 13

System data

 Necessary data for system calculation:

1. system surfaces with parameters (radius)
2. distances with parameters (length, material)
3. stop surface
4. wavelength(s)
5. aperture
6. field point(s)

 Optional inputs:
1. finite diameters
2. vignetting factors
3. decenter and tilt
4. coordinate reference
5. weighting factors
6. multi configurations
7. ...
 14

System Changes

 Useful commands for system changes:

1. Scaling (e.g. patents)

2. Insert system
with other system file
File - Insert Lens

2. Reverse system
 15

Surface Properties and Settings

 Setting of surface properties

surface type local tilt

additional drawing and
diameter
switches decenter

operator and coating

sampling for POP

scattering
options
 16

Solves

 Value of the parameter dependents on other requirement

 Pickup of radius/thickness: linear dependence on other system parameter
 Determined to have fixed: - marginal ray height
- chief ray angle
- marginal ray normal
- chief ray normal
- aplanatic surface
- element power
- concentric surface
- concentric radius
- F number
- marginal ray height
- chief ray height
- edge thickness
- optical path difference
- position
- compensator
- center of curvature
- pupil position
 17

Solves

 Examples for solves:

1. last radius forces given image aperture
2. get symmetry of system parts
3. multiple used system parts
4. moving lenses with constant system length
5. bending of a lens with constant focal length
6. non-negative edge thickness of a lens
7. bending angle of a mirror (i'=i)
8. decenter/tilt of a component with return
 18

Solves

 Open different menus with a right-mouse-click in the corresponding editor cell

 Solves can be chosen individually
 Individual data for every surface in this menu
 19

3D Geometry

 General input of tilt and decenter:

Coordinate break surface
 Change of coordinate system with lateral translation and 3 rotations angles
 Direct listing in lens editor
 Not shown in layout drawing
 20

3D Geometry

 Auxiliary menus:

1. Tilt/Decenter element

2. Folding mirror
 21

3D Geometry

 Local tilt and decenter of a surface

1. no direct visibility in lens editor
only + near surface index
2. input in surface properties
3. with effect on following system surfaces
 22

Definition of Aperture and Field

 Imaging on axis: circular / rotational symmetry

Only spherical aberration and chromatical aberrations

 Finite field size, object point off-axis:

- chief ray as reference y yp y'p y'

- skew ray bundels:

coma and distortion O'
marginal/rim
ray
- Vignetting, cone of ray bundle R'AP
not circular symmetric u chief ray w' u'
w
chief ray
- to distinguish:
tangential and sagittal
O
plane entrance
object exit image
plane pupil
pupil plane
 23

Aperture Definition

Quantitative measures of relative opening / size of accepted light cone

 Numerical aperture

NA  n  sin u'
exit image
 F-number pupil plane

f'
F#
DEX chief ray

 Approximation for small DEX

apertures: W' U'

1
F#
2  NA
marginal ray

f'
 24

Optical system stop

 The physical stop defines black box

the aperture cone angle u details complicated

 The real system may be complex ? ?

image

object

real
system

 The entrance pupil fixes the

acceptance cone in the
object space

 The exit pupil fixes the object

image
u
acceptance cone in the
image space

stop ExP

EnP

Ref: Julie Bentley

 25

Properties of the pupil

Relevance of the system pupil :

 Brightness of the image

Transfer of energy

 Resolution of details
Information transfer

 Image quality
Aberrations due to aperture

 Image perspective
Perception of depth

 Compound systems:
matching of pupils is necessary, location and size
 26

Entrance and exit pupil

field point
of image
upper
object marginal ray
point
U
on axis U'
W
on axis
lower marginal chief point of
ray ray image
upper coma
ray

lower coma
ray
stop
outer field
point of
object exit entrance
pupil pupil
Cardinal Points of a Lens

 Real lenses:
The surface with the principal points
as apparent ray bending points is a
curved shell
 The ideal principal plane exists only
in the paraxial approximation
P'

s'P'
 28

Principal Sphere

 Generalization of paraxial picture:

Principal surface works as effective location of ray bending
for object points near the optical axis (isoplanatic patch)

 Paraxial approximation: plane

Can be used for all rays to find effective surface of
the imaged ray P ray bending P'

 Real systems with corrected

sine-condition (aplanatic):
principal sphere y U'

 The principal sphere can not be

used to construct arbitrary ray
paths

 If the sine correction is not

fulfilled: more complicated
shape of the arteficial surface,
f'
that represents the ray bending
 29

Limitation of Principal Surface Definition

 The principal planes in paraxial optics are defined as the locations of the apparent ray bending
of a lens of system
 In the case of a system with corrected sine conditions, these surfaces are spheres
 Sine condition and pupil spheres are also limited for off-axis points near to the optical axis
 For object points far from the axis, the apparent locations are complicated surfaces, which
may consist of two branches
 30

Aperture data in Zemax

 Different possible options for specification of the aperture in Zemax:

1. Entrance pupil diameter
2. Image space F#
3. Object space NA
4. Paraxial working F#
5. Object cone angle
6. Floating by stop size

 Stop location:
1. Fixes the chief ray intersection point
2. input not necessary for telecentric object space
3. is used for aperture determination in case of aiming

 Special cases:
1. Object in infinity (NA, cone angle input impossible)
2. Image in infinity (afocal)
3. Object space telecentric
 31

Vignetting

 3D-effects due to vignetting

 Truncation of the at different surfaces for the upper and the lower part
of the cone

object lens 1 aperture lens 2 image

stop upper
truncation
chief
ray

sagittal coma
lower
trauncation rays
truncation
 32

Vignetting

projection of the
 Truncation of the light cone free area of the rim of the 1st lens
with asymmetric ray path aperture
for off-axis field points
meridional
 Intensity decrease towards chief coma rays
ray
the edge of the image

 Definition of the chief ray: sagittal

ray through energetic centroid coma rays

 Vignetting can be used to avoid Projektion der

Aperturblende
uncorrectable coma aberrations
in the outer field

 Effective free area with extrem

aspect ratio: projection of the
anamorphic resolution rim of the 2nd lens
 33

Diameters and stop sizes

1. Determination of one surface as system stop:

- Fixes the chief ray intersection point with axis
- can be set in surface properties menu
- indicated by STO in lens data editor
- determines the aperture for the option 'float by stop size'

2. Diameters in lens data editor

- indicated U for user defined
- only circular shape
- effects drawing
- effects ray vignetting
- can be used to draw 'nice lenses' with
overflow of diameter

3. Diameters as surface properties:

- effects on rays in drawing (vignetting)
- no effect on lens shapes in drawing
- also complicated shapes and decenter
possible
- indicated in lens data editor by a star
 34

Diameters and stop sizes

4. Individual aperture sizes for every field point can be set by the vignetting factors of the
Field menu
- real diameters at surfaces must be set
- reduces light cones are drawn in the layout
 35

Optical materials

 Important types of optical materials:

1. Glasses
2. Crystals
3. Liquids
4. Plastics, cement
5. Gases
6. Metals

 Optical parameters for characterization of materials

1. Refractive index, spectral resolved n()
2. Spectral transmission T()
3. Reflectivity R
4. Absorption
5. Anisotropy, index gradient, eigenfluorescence,…

 Important non-optical parameters

1. Thermal expansion coefficient
2. Hardness
3. Chemical properties (resistence,…)
 36

Test wavelengths

 in [nm] Name Color Element

248.3 UV Hg
280.4 UV Hg
296.7278 UV Hg
312.5663 UV Hg
334.1478 UV Hg
365.0146 i UV Hg
404.6561 h violett Hg
435.8343 g blau Hg
479.9914 F' blau Cd
486.1327 F blau H
546.0740 e grün Hg
587.5618 d gelb He
589.2938 D gelb Na
632.8 HeNe-Laser
643.8469 C' rot Cd
656.2725 C rot H
706.5188 r rot He
852.11 s IR Cä
1013.98 t IR Hg
1060.0 Nd:YAG-Laser
 37

Dispersion and Abbe number

 Description of dispersion:

Abbe number n    1
n 
nF '  nC ' refractive
index n
 Visual range of wavelengths: 1.8

ne  1
ne 
1.75

nF '  nC '
1.7
 Typical range of glasses
SF1
ne = 20 ...120 1.65
Flint

 Two fundamental types of glass: 1.6

Crone glasses:
n small, n large 1.55
Flint glasses BK7
n large, n small 1.5
Kron

1.45
0.5 0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 2.0

1.75
 38

Dispersion

Material with different dispersion values:

- Different slope and curvature of the dispersion curve
- Stronger change of index over wavelength for large dispersion
- Inversion of index sequence at the boundaries of the spectrum possible

refractive index n

1.7

flint
F6 n small
slope large
1.675

1.65
crown
n large
slope small

1.625
SK18A

VIS
1.6 
0.5 0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 1.75 2.0
 39

Dispersion formulas

 Schott formula
empirical n ao + a1 2 + a2  2 + a3   4 + a 4  6 + a5  8

2 2
 Sellmeier n(  )  A + B 2 +C 2
Based on oscillator model  12
   22
 Bausch-Lomb D E 2
empirical n(  )  A + B  + C +
2 4
+
 2
F 2
(  2  2o) + 2 2
  o
a2 a3
 Herzberger n( )  ao + a1 + 2 2 + 2 2
2
Based on oscillator model 
 o  o 2

mit o 0.168 m

 Hartmann
a1 a4
Based on oscillator model n( )ao + +
a3   a5  
 40

Relative partial dispersion

 Relative partial dispersion : n

Change of dispersion slope with  1.54
 Definition of local slope for selected
wavelengths relative to secondary
1.53
colors
n1   n2 
i-g
g-F
P12  1.52 F-C

nF '  nC ' F-e

C-t
1.51
 Special selections for characteristic C-s
n()
ranges of the visible spectrum
1.5

 = 656 / 1014 nm far IR

 = 656 / 852 nm near IR 1.49

 = 486 / 546 nm blue edge of VIS

 = 435 / 486 nm near UV 1.48 
 = 365 / 435 nm far UV 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100

g : 435 nm e : 546 nm
UV edge d : 588 nm
main color
i : 365 nm F' : 480 nm C' : 644 nm
UV edge F : 486 nm C : 656 nm
s : 852 nm t : 1014 nm
1. secondary 2. secondary
color color IR edge IR edge
 41

Glass diagram

 Usual representation of
glasses:
diagram of refractive index
vs dispersion n(n)

 Left to right:
Increasing dispersion
decreasing Abbe number
 42

Glasses in Zemax

 Selection of glass catalogs in

GENERAL / GLASS CATALOGS

 Viewing of dispersion curves

ANALYSIS / GLASS AND GRADIENT

 Viewing of glass map

 43

Glasses in Zemax

 Viewing of transmission curves

also for several glasses in comparison
ANALYSIS / GLASS AND GRADIENT

 Definition of a glass as a variable point in the

map (model glass)
 44

Scheme of raytrace

 Ray: straight line between two intersection points

 System: sequence of spherical surfaces
 Data: - radii, curvature c=1/r
- vertex distances
- refractive indices
u'
j-1 d
- transverse diameter ray d sj
s j-1
 Surfaces of 2nd order: oblique thickness
i
j
i' u'j
j
Calculation of intersection points
y
j
analytically possible: fast d
j-1 d
j
computation vertex distance opti
axi

medium n medium n
j-1 j

surface r
surface r j
j-1
 45

Vectorial raytrace

yj
normal
vector
xj
intersection
ej
yj+1
point Pj
sj ray intersection
point
xj+1

dj Pj+1
sj+1
distance
surface ej+1 normal
vector
No j
 General 3D geometry z
 Tilt and decenter of surfaces surface
No j+1
 General shaped free form surfaces
 Full description with 3 components
 Global and local coordinate systems
 46

Raytrace errors

index index
 Vignetting/truncation of ray at finite sized diameter: j+1 j

can or can not considered (optional)

 No physical intersection point of ray with surface irregular

 Total internal reflection regular

 Negative edge thickness of lenses axis
 Negative thickness without mirror-reflection
 Diffraction at boundaries
negative
un-physical

intersection:
- mathematical possible
- physical not realized
no intersection
total point
internal
reflection

axis
axis axis
 47

Single Ray Selection

 Definition of a single ray by two points

 First point in object plane:
yp
relative normalized coordinates: Hx, Hy
 Second point in entrance pupil plane: axis

relative normalized coordinates Px, Py Px

second
point

Py

xp

pupil plane
y

Hx
Hy

first
point

x
object plane
 48

Special rays in 3D

 Meridional rays:
in main cross section plane
yp
 Sagittal rays: upper
perpendicular to main cross meridional
coma ray axis
section plane
sagittal coma
 Coma rays: ray

Going through field point

chief ray skew ray
and edge of pupil
xp
meridional
 Oblique rays: marginal ray
without symmetry pupil plane
y
field
point

lower
meridional
coma ray
sagittal ray
axis point axis

x
object plane
 49

Tangential and sagittal plane

 Off-axis object point:

1. Meridional plane / tangential plane / main cross section plane
contains object point and optical axis
2. Sagittal plane:
perpendicular to meridional plane through object point

y
y'

object
image
plane
plane
x x'

z
sagittal
plane

lens
meridional
plane
 50

Ray fans and ray cones

 Ray fan:
2-dimensional plane set of rays

object
 Ray cone: point

3-dimensional filled ray cone pupil

grid
 51

Pupil sampling

 Pupil sampling for calculation of transverse aberrations:

all rays from one object point to all pupil points on x- and y-axis

 Two planes with 1-dimensional ray fans

 No complete information: no skew rays

object entrance exit image

plane pupil pupil plane
yo yp y'p y'
tangential

xp x'p x'
xo
z

sagittal
 52

Sampling of pupil area

 Pupil sampling in 3D for spot diagram:

all rays from one object point through all pupil points in 2D

 Light cone completly filled with rays

object entrance exit image

plane pupil pupil plane
yo yp y'p y'

xo xp x'p x'

z
 53

Pupil Sampling
 Criteria:
1. iso energetic rays
2. good boundary description
3. good spatial resolution
polar grid cartesian isoenergetic circular Fibonacci spirals

hexagonal statistical pseudo-statistical (Halton)

 54

Artefacts of pupil sampling

 Artefacts due to regular gridding of the pupil of the spot in the image plane

 In reality a smooth density of the spot is true

 The line structures are discretization effects of the sampling

cartesian hexagonal statistical

 55

Raytrace in Zemax

 Selection of 2 points on the ray on object and entrance pupil plane

 Real and paraxial rays are tabulated

 Coordinate reference can be selected to be local or global

 56

Layout options

 Graphical control of system

and ray path
 Principal options in Zemax:
1. 2D section for circular symmetry
2. 3D general drawing

 Several options in settings

 Zooming with mouse
 57

Layout options

 Different options for 3D case

 Multiconfiguration plot possible
 Rayfan can be chosen
 58

Layout options

 Professional graphic
 Many layout options
 Rotation with mouse or arrow buttons
 59

Footprints

 Looking for the ray bundle cross sections