Distributed Phase Modification for Uniform Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional imaging systems face challenges in maintaining uniform point-spread functions across on- and off-axis fields, leading to aberrations such as chromatic aberration, astigmatism, and coma, which affect image quality.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a distributed phase modification approach, where phase modification is distributed across multiple optical elements, specifically using higher-order aspheric terms in a second optical element to balance and supplement the phase modification of a first element, ensuring radially symmetric point-spread functions and high modulation transfer function across the entire field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional imaging systems use standard optics without phase modification, then the system structure remains simple, but misfocus-related aberrations such as chromatic aberration, astigmatism, and coma occur, degrading image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The phase modification function is segmented and distributed across multiple optical elements (first and second optical elements) rather than concentrated in a single element. Each element contributes to the overall phase modification, allowing the system to correct aberrations while maintaining a relatively simple structure for each individual element.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite optical design by combining multiple optical elements with different phase modification characteristics. The first optical element provides initial phase modification while the second optical element with higher-order aspheric terms provides additional phase correction, creating a composite system that achieves superior aberration correction.
2Manufacturing precision
If a single optical element is used for phase modification, then the device complexity is reduced, but uniform point-spread functions across on- and off-axis fields cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The phase modification task is divided between two optical elements. The first optical element handles basic phase modification while the second optical element with higher-order aspheric terms handles the refinement needed to achieve uniform point-spread functions across the entire field, including off-axis regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The second optical element incorporates higher-order aspheric terms that provide localized phase correction tailored to specific regions of the field. This allows different parts of the optical field (on-axis and off-axis) to receive appropriate phase modification, achieving uniform point-spread functions across the entire field.
3Manufacturing precision
If higher-order aspheric terms are added to the second optical element, then radially symmetric point-spread functions are achieved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex phase modification requiring higher-order aspheric terms is segmented and assigned specifically to the second optical element, which is positioned closer to the image sensor. This segmentation allows the first optical element to maintain a simpler, easier-to-manufacture design while the second element handles the more complex higher-order corrections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the aspheric parameter profile of the second optical element by incorporating higher-order aspheric terms. This parameter modification enables the achievement of radially symmetric point-spread functions while concentrating the manufacturing complexity in a single element rather than requiring all elements to be complex.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in substantially uniform point-spread functions and improved image quality with reduced astigmatism, allowing for a simple image decoding process and maintaining high performance across various F-numbers and aperture sizes.
Implementation Method 1
The first and second optical elements are configured to jointly modify phase of the light transmitted therethrough such that point-spread functions ('PSFs') corresponding to the range field points are substantially uniform over on- and off-axis fields
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system for imaging a range of field points over on- and off-axis fields includes an image sensor for capturing image data, and first and second optical elements that are spaced apart and cooperate to image light at the image sensor. The first and second optical elements are configured to jointly modify phase of the light transmitted therethrough such that point-spread functions (“PSFs”) corresponding to the range field points are substantially uniform over on- and off-axis fields.