Hybrid meta-optics facilitate an athermal continuous zoom optical system

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Compact optical systems require continuous zoom capabilities.
• Thermal stability is a significant challenge for lenses operating across wide temperature ranges.
• Existing solutions often involve complex active heating or cooling systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a compact continuous zoom optical system with passive thermal stability.
• To leverage hybrid meta-optics for enhanced optical performance and thermal management.
• To achieve a wide temperature operational range without active thermal control.

Main Methods:

• Designed a compact continuous zoom optical system utilizing hybrid meta-optics.
• Incorporated metalenses to correct chromatic aberration and off-axis distortion.
• Utilized commonly available optical glass for structural components.
• Analyzed system performance across a temperature range of -20 to +60 °C.

Main Results:

• Achieved a compact system with a total length of 9–12 mm and only 4 lenses.
• Demonstrated smooth continuous zooming with a focal length range of 4.9–9.8 mm.
• Maintained excellent imaging quality (MTF > 0.5 at 100 lp/mm) throughout the operational temperature range.
• Confirmed passive thermal management without external heating or cooling.
• Showcased feasible zoom and tolerance parameters.

Conclusions:

• The designed hybrid meta-optics system offers a compact and thermally stable solution for continuous zoom lenses.
• Passive thermal management is effectively achieved through the inherent properties of the meta-optics.
• The system provides high-quality imaging performance across a broad temperature range, meeting practical design requirements.