Multiple lens athermalization and achromatization by the Cartesian-product free combination method based on the...

Area of Science:

• Optical Engineering
• Thermal Management in Optical Systems

Background:

• Traditional athermalization models neglect lens displacement effects in thermal environments.
• Accurate thermal defocus and focal length stability are crucial for multi-lens systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel thermally-induced defocus model incorporating optics and lens mounting effects.
• To develop a new athermalization and achromatization design method based on the proposed model.
• To enable simultaneous optimization of optical and mounting materials for thermal stability.

Main Methods:

• Developed a thermally-induced defocus model considering optics and lens mounting.
• Proposed a design method involving material combination analysis for thermal defocus and focal length ratio.
• Performed passive athermalization design for a seven-element optical system using diverse mounting materials.

Main Results:

• The proposed model accurately predicts thermal effects on imaging.
• A seven-element F/2 system achieved MTF > 0.4 at 100 cycles/mm from -50°C to +90°C.
• The method demonstrated improved athermalization accuracy for transmissive systems.

Conclusions:

• The new model and design method enhance thermal stability and imaging performance.
• Expanded optimization variables improve the accuracy of athermalization for optical systems.
• This approach is effective for designing robust optical systems in variable thermal conditions.