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Simplifying numerical ray tracing for characterization of optical systems.

Yakir Luc Gagnon, Daniel I Speiser, Sönke Johnsen

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    This study introduces a new computational method for ray tracing, representing light rays as continuous functions for faster and more accurate optical system analysis. The approach simplifies calculations for complex systems, improving image quality estimations.

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    Area of Science:

    • Optics
    • Computational Science
    • Biomedical Engineering

    Background:

    • Ray tracing is crucial for analyzing optical systems, especially those with significant aberrations.
    • Calculating geometric point spread functions (PSFs) estimates image quality but is computationally intensive and sensitive to ray number.
    • Modeling complex optical systems with ray tracing requires significant computational power and model adjustments.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To develop a more efficient and accurate method for ray tracing in optical system characterization.
    • To overcome the computational limitations and complexity associated with traditional discrete ray tracing.
    • To enable analytical-like characterization of symmetrical optical systems.

    Main Methods:

    • Representing light rays as a continuous function dependent on initial direction.
    • Utilizing Chebyshev approximations (via the chebfun toolbox in MATLAB) for simplified ray calculations.
    • Applying the method to calculate PSFs for complex optical systems with multiple interfaces.

    Main Results:

    • Achieved high precision and fast calculation speeds in ray tracing.
    • Greatly simplified the computation of ray location and direction.
    • Successfully characterized symmetrical optical systems in an analytical-like manner.
    • Demonstrated ease of PSF calculation for complicated optical systems.

    Conclusions:

    • The continuous function ray tracing method offers a significant advancement in optical system analysis.
    • This approach enhances computational efficiency and accuracy for characterizing optical systems.
    • The method is applicable to complex optical designs, including those with refractive and reflective elements.