Matrix Methods in

Paraxial Optics
Chap 18

Thick Lens
THICK LENS:
THICK LENS IS A LENS WHOSE THICKNESS ALONG ITS OPTICAL AXIS CANNOT BE IGNORED WITHOUT
LEADING TO SERIOUS ERRORS IN ANALYSIS.
SIX CARDINAL POINTS: APPLICABLE TO ANY OPTICAL SYSTEM
FIRST AND SECOND SYSTEM FOCAL POINTS (F1 AND F2);
FIRST AND SECOND PRINCIPAL POINTS (H1 AND H2);
FIRST AND SECOND NODAL POINTS (N1 AND N2).
PLANES NORMAL TO THE AXIS AT THESE POINTS ARE CALLED CARDINAL PLANES.
Basic Equations:
Focal length:
1 nL  n nL  n  nL  n  nL  n t
  
f1 nR2 nR1 nnL R1 R2
n
f2   f1
n
Position of principal planes:
n L  n nL  n
r f1t s f 2t
n L R2 n L R1
Position of nodal points:
Distances are directed,
 n  n  n   n n n  positive or negative by a sign
v  1   L t  f1 w  1   L t  f 2
 n n L R2   n n L R1  convention that makes
Thick lens formula: distances directed to the left
f1 f 2 nsi negative and distances to the
 1 m
so si nso right, positive.
Properties:

H1 H 2  N1 N 2 H 1 N1  H 2 N 2
If n=n, then r=v and s=w
F1 H1  N 2 F2 F2 H 2  N1 F1
Example: Determine the focal lengths and the principal points for a 4-cm thick, biconvex
lens with refractive index of 1.52 and radii of curvature of 25 cm, when the lens caps the
end of a long cylinder filled with water (n=1.33).
Solution: nL=1.52, n=1, n=1.33, t=4 cm,
The first refraction surface is a convex plane, so R1=25cm.
The second one is a concave plane, so R2=25cm. According to equation
1 nL  n nL  n  nL  n  nL  n t
  
f1 nR2 nR1 nnL R1 R2
we can get f1=35.74cm to the left of the first principal plane. From
n
f 2   f1
n

we have f2=47.53cm to the right of the second principal plane. Equations

n L  n nL  n
r f1t s f 2t
n L R2 n L R1

give us r=0.715cm and s=2.60cm.