20.

20. Aberration
Aberration Theory
Theory
Wavefront aberrations ()
Chromatic Aberration ()
Third-order (Seidel) aberration theory
Spherical aberrations
Coma
Astigmatism
Curvature of Field
Distortion

Aberrations
Aberrations

Chromatic

n ( )

Monochromatic
Unclear
image

Deformation
of image

Spherical

Distortion

Coma

Field Curvature

astigmatism
Five third-order (Seidel) aberrations

Aberrations:
Aberrations: Chromatic
Chromatic

n ()

Because the focal length of a lens depends on the

refractive index (n), and this in turn depends on the
wavelength, n = n(), light of different colors
emanating from an object will come to a focus at
different points.
A white object will therefore not give rise to a white
image. It will be distorted and have rainbow edges

Five
Five monochromatic
monochromatic Aberrations
Aberrations
Unclear image

Deformation of image

Spherical

Distortion

Coma

Field curvature

astigmatism

Spherical
Spherical aberration
aberration
This effect is related to rays which make large angles
relative to the optical axis of the system
Mathematically, can be shown to arise from the fact that
a lens has a spherical surface and not a parabolic one
Rays making significantly large angles with respect to
the optic axis are brought to different foci

Coma
Coma

An off-axis effect which appears when a bundle of incident rays

all make the same angle with respect to the optical axis (source
at )
Rays are brought to a focus at different points on the focal plane
Found in lenses with large spherical aberrations
An off-axis object produces a comet-shaped image

Astigmatism
Astigmatism and
and curvature
curvature of
of field
field

Yields elliptically distorted images

Distortion:
Distortion: Pincushion,
Pincushion, Barrel
Barrel
This effect results from the difference in lateral
magnification of the lens.
If f differs for different parts of the lens,
si
yi
MT
so y o

object

will differ also

M on axis less than off

axis (positive lens)

M on axis greater than

off axis (negative lens)

fi>0

fi<0

Pincushion image

Barrel image

A mathematical treatment of the monochromatic aberrations

can be developed by expanding the binomial series
up to higher orders

Third-order aberration theory

Paraxial approximation

Now,
Now, lets
lets derive
derive
the
the expression
expression of
of
the
the third-order
third-order aberrations
aberrations
(Seidel
(Seidel aberrations,
aberrations, Ludwig
Ludwig von
von Seidel)
Seidel)

20-1.
20-1. Ray
Ray and
and wave
wave aberrations
aberrations

Wave aberration

Ideal wavefront
Actual wavefront

Paraxial Image plane

Paraxial Image point

LA

TA

LA : ray aberration - longitudinal

TA : ray aberration - transverse (lateral)

Longitudinal
Longitudinal Ray
Ray Aberration
Aberration
n = 1.0

Modern Optics, R.
Guenther, p. 199.

nL = 2.0

ni sin i nt sin t

sin t

sin i
2

Longitudinal
Longitudinal Aberration
Aberration contd
contd
n = 1.0
nL = 2.0

R
Rsint

t i i t
sin sin i t
ni sin i nt sin t

R sin t
R z

Z = Z (i )

Longitudinal
Longitudinal Aberration
Aberration contd
contd
n = 1.0
nL = 2.0

sin i t

R sin t

R z

ni sin i nt sin t

z/R

()

Modern Optics,
R. Guenther, p. 199.

20-2.
20-2. Third-order
Third-order treatment
treatment of
of refraction
refraction
at
at aa spherical
spherical interface
interface
Lets start the aberration calculation for a simple case.
Q

Figure 20-3

To the paraxial (first-order) ray approximation, PQI = POI according to Fermats principle.
Beyond a first approximation, PQI (depends on the position of Q) POI.
Thus we define the aberration at Q as

a Q PQI POI opd n1 n2 n1s n2 s

Refraction
Refraction at
at aa spherical
spherical interface
interface contd
contd

Lets describe l in terms of R, s, .

R
O

2 2 2
cos

R
sR

sin

sR

2
R

2
2
2
2
s
R
R
R

sin 2 cos 2 1
2

2
s R
2
s R cos R
s R 2 2 R R 2
2

Substituting and rearranging we obtain :

2 s R R 2 2 R s R cos
2

Refraction
Refraction at
at aa spherical
spherical interface
interface contd
contd
l
'

s-R

2 R 2
2

cos

s R

sin

sin cos 1
2

s R

2 2

s R

s R

2 2

2 R 2 2 R 2 2 R 2 2 R s R

s R cos

2 R 2 s R 2 R s R cos
2

Refraction
Refraction at
at aa spherical
spherical interface
interface contd
contd
Writing the cos term in terms of h we obtain :
1/ 2

h 2
h2
h4
2

cos 1 sin 1 1
2
R
R
2
8R 4

where we have used the binomial expansion

Third-order angle effect

x x2
1 x 1
2
8
Substituting into our exp ressions for and and rearranging
1/ 2

2
4
h R s h R s

s 1

2
R
s
4 R 3 s 2

1/ 2

h R s h R s

s ' 1

2
3 2

Rs
R
s
4


Use the same binomial exp ansion and neglecting terms of
2

1/ 2

order h and higher we obtain

h 2 R s h 4 R s h 4 R s 2

s 1

2
3 2
2 4
Rs
R
s
R
s
2
8
8

h 2 R s h 4 R s h 4 R s 2
s ' 1

2
3 2
2 4

2
8
8
Rs
R
s
R
s

h
P

Refraction
Refraction at
at aa spherical
spherical interface
interface contd
contd

h
h
h
h
h
h
h
s 1 2

2 Rs 8R 2 s 2 8R 3 s 8s 4 4 Rs 3 8R 2 s 2
2s

h2
h2
h4
h4
h4
h4
h4

s 1 2

2 Rs 8 R 2 s2 8 R 3 s 8s4 4 Rs3 8R 2 s2
2 s
2

h
P

a Q n1 n2 n1s n2 s
Imaging formula
(first-order approx.)

h4
a Q
8

n1 n2 n2 n1

s s'
R

n1 1 1 2 n2 1 1 2
4
ch
s ' s ' R
s s R

Wave aberration

a Q

Aberration for axial object points (on-axis imaging)

: This aberration will be referred to as spherical aberration.
The other aberrations will appear at off-axis imaging!

20-3.
20-3. Spherical
Spherical Aberration
Aberration
a Q c h 4
h
Optics, E. Hecht,
p. 222.

Transverse
Spherical
Aberration

n2
Longitudinal
Spherical
Aberration

by

4cs ' 3

h
n2

bz

4 c s '2 2
bz
h
n2

by

Spherical
Spherical Aberration
Aberration
Least SA

Modern Optics,
R. Guenther, p.
196.

Most SA

Spherical
Spherical Aberration
Aberration
For a thin lens with surfaces with radii of curvature R1 and
R2, refractive index nL, object distance s, image distance s',
the difference between the paraxial image distance s'p and
image distance s'h is given by

nL 2 2
nL3
1
1
h2
2

4 nL 1 p 3nL 2 nL 1 p

3
sh
sp 8 f nL nL 1 nL 1
nL 1
where,

R2 R1
s s
( shape factor), p
R2 R1
s s

Spherical aberration is minimized when :

2 nL2 1
nL 2

Spherical
Spherical Aberration
Aberration
Spherical aberration is minimized when :

2 nL2 1
nL 2

R2 R1
s s

, p
R2 R1
s s

For an object at infinite ( p = -1, nL = 1.50 ), ~ 0.7

= -1

worse

= +1

better

Optics, E. Hecht,
p. 222.

Spherical
Spherical Aberration
Aberration

~ 0.7

R2 R1

R2 R1
s s
p
s s

Third
-Order Aberration
Third-Order
Aberration ::
Off
-axis imaging
Off-axis
imaging by
by aa spherical
spherical interface
interface
Now, lets calculate the third-order aberrations in a general case.

Q
Q

a Q PQP PBP opd c( BQ) 4 c '4

a O POP PBP opd c( BO) 4 cb 4

a Q a Q a O c ( '4 b 4 )

' r b 2rb cos , b h '

a Q a Q; r , , h '
2

b
B
On the lens surface

Third-Order
Third-Order Aberration
Aberration Theory
Theory
After some very complicated analysis the third-order aberration equation is obtained:

a Q 0C40 r 4

h ' Cr

O
B

Spherical Aberration

1C31 h r 3 cos

Coma

2C22 h2 r 2 cos2

Astigmatism

2C20 h2 r 2
3C11 h3 r cos

On-axis imaging a(Q) = ch4

Curvature of Field

Distortion

20-4.
20-4. Coma
Coma
a Q 1C31 h ' r 3 cos

(h ' 0, cos 0)

O
B

Coma
Coma

Optics, E.
Hecht, p.
224.

Coma
Coma
Least
Coma

Modern Optics,
R. Guenther, p.
205.

Most
Coma

Coma
Coma

20-5.
20-5. Astigmatism
Astigmatism
a Q 2C22 h '2 r 2 cos 2

(h ' 0, cos 0)

Optics, E. Hecht,
p. 224.

Astigmatism
Astigmatism

Sagittal
plane

Tangential plane
(Meridional plane)

Astigmatism
Astigmatism

Coma

Astigmatism
Astigmatism
Least
Astig.

Modern Optics,
R. Guenther, p.
207.

Most
Astig.

Field
Field Curvature
Curvature
a Q 2C20 h '2 r 2

(h ' 0)

Astigmatism when = 0.

A flat object normal to the optical axis cannot be brought into focus on a flat image plane.
This is less of a problem when the imaging surface is spherical, as in the human eye.

Field
Field Curvature
Curvature
a Q 2C20 h '2 r 2

(h ' 0)

Astigmatism when = 0.

If no astigmatism is present,
the sagittal and tangential image surfaces coincide on the Petzval surface.
The best image plane, Petzval surface, is actually not planar, but spherical.
This aberration is called field curvature.

20-6.
20-6. Distortion
Distortion
a Q 3C11 h '3 r cos

(h ' 0, cos 0)

20-7.
20-7. Chromatic
Chromatic Aberration
Aberration

Optics, E. Hecht,
p. 232.

Achromatic
Achromatic Doublet
Doublet
Figure 20-13

(1)

(2)

20-13 Power of two lenses, P1D and P2D are different

at the Fraunhofer wavelength, D = 587.6 nm.
* Note: What is the definition of the Fraunhofer wavelengths (lines)?

* Note: Fraunhofer wavelengths (lines)

Spectrum of a blue sky somewhat close to the horizon pointing east at around 3 or 4 pm on a clear day.

D = 587.6 nm (yellow)

F = 486.1 nm (blue)

C = 656.3 nm (red)

The dark lines in the solar spectrum were caused by

absorption by those elements in the upper layers of the Sun.

Achromatic
Achromatic Doublets
Doublets
Chromatic aberration is eliminated when :

1
1
1
n1D 1
n1D 1 K1
f1D
r
r
11
12
1
1
1

n2 D 1

n2 D 1 K 2
f2D
r
r
21
22

P1D
P2 D

D 587.6 nm center of visible spectrum

For a lens separation of L : Total power is
1
1
1
L

P P1 P2 L P1 P2
f
f1
f2
f1 f 2
For a cemented doublet L 0 :
P P1 P2 n1 1 K1 n2 1 K 2

P
n
n
K1 1 K 2 2 0

In general , for materials with " normal " dispersion :

n
0

That means that to eliminate chromatic aberration,

K1 and K 2 must have opposite signs.
The partial derivative of refractive index with
wavelength is approximated :
n nF nC

F C
for an achromat in the visible region of the spectrum.
In the above equation, F 486.1 nm and C 656.3 nm.

Achromatic
Achromatic Doublets
Doublets
Defining the dispersive constant V :

nD 1
nF nC

we can write
n1F n1C n1D 1
P1D
n1D
K1
K1

F C n1D 1 F C V1

K2

n n2C n2 D 1
P2 D
n2 D
K2 2F

1
C 2D
F C V2
F

V1 and V2 are functions only of the material properties of the two lenses.
P1D
P2 D

V
V

F C 1 F C 2

V2 P1D V1 P2 D 0

Achromatic condition for doublets

Achromatic
Achromatic Doublets
Doublets
We can solve for the power of each lens in terms of the desired power of the doublet :
PD P1D P2 D
V2 P1D V1 P2 D 0

P1D PD

V1
V2 V1

P2 D PD

V2
V2 V1

where PD n1D 1 K1 n2 D 1 K 2
K1

P1D
,
n1D 1

K2

P2 D
n2 D 1

From the values of K1 and K 2 , the 4 radii of curvature for the two surfaces
of the lenses can be determined.
If lens 1 is bi - convex with equal curvature for each surface :
r12 r11

r21 r12

r22

r12
1 K 2 r12

1
1
where, K 2

r
r
22
21

Achromatic
Achromatic Doublets
Doublets

Table 20-1